Princess Tutu and the Secret Six
by paladin313
Summary: Based off the manga version of the story. A manga/American comic crossover. Our heroes are trying to resume a normal life, but must again confront the evil Edel and the Raven with unlikely but effectual allies.
1. Chapter 1

**Preface**

For the fans of this character, I first must say that I am continuing the manga version of this story. I was first intrigued, and fell in love with, the anime, (the original,) version of this story, and loved the scenes, the characters, the music, and the keen eye for detail. The setting was very clear, details about the characters, the histories, and so forth, were very well put together, and had the tendency to suck one in. While I was like most, when I saw that Ahiru did not get her glass slipper as she justly deserved, I was as angry as many. However, after taking some time to really look at the story, I then realized that her greatest heroic work was not as the superhero, but as the duck, out from which Tutu sprung in an astral form, allowing the prince to do the work needed to be done. The whole point was that, one does not have to be big, strong, graceful, and so forth, to do heroic things. Another thing I also realized, (and I see clearly through fan fiction,) that many caught the hint that I caught the show's creators gave. The end was left open-ended, and one was then encouraged to fill in Fakir's role, and write their own continuations to the story—get the imagination and the creative juices flowing. However, I personally had a hard time knowing where to go with the story, and brooded over it for a long time. Then I found the manga version…

When I read that, I was quite surprised. Many of the characters had returned, Pique and Lilie had been replaced by Mai and Yuma, and Edel was turned quite human, and into a villain. It was explained by the writers that the anime's creators told the manga side of things to do as they pleased, because, well, how many versions of _Swan_ _Lake_ are there? In that version, Ahiru, (Duck,) is quite human, and her origins were also quite different. Only Neku-Sensi, (Mr. Katt,) is preserved as a character, and is the only anthropomorph. Drosslmyer was conspicuously absent, and the reasons for returning the heart shards were somewhat different. Another aspect I caught out of it was that they also caught more of the essence of the superhero side of things—at least, that's what I caught. Anyway, that story was also enjoyable; however, the depth of the story was somewhat shallow as compared to the anime. Whereas it is quite clear where the academy, and Kinkan town, were located, in the manga, it is nondescript. Names are Japanese, and certain characters are given last names. Yet, the flavor of the town is not Japanese, and none of the characters, (save maybe Rue and Mai,) have an Oriental look or feel. Therefore, where it is, and who anyone is, is left up to the reader. There are other things that differ, and there are other plot points that could have used some more detail, I yet did enjoy this story as well. Yet, because of all the detail that had been left out and the superhero/comic book feel to this, (and because of my love for the American comic book as well,) synapses were firing on all cylinders, and ideas began to flow like water. I wondered if I could mix the two worlds, (manga and American comics,) together, and I gave it a shot. Therefore, I decided to use some established comic book characters in order to bring ability for Tutu to reemerge, and, because of the source of this, the characters from DC Comics were the only route that I could go. They play a prominent part later on, but they do not dominate, so be assured that our heroine and her friends are the focus of the story, as well as the two heroes that are added in to round off the team. Those who have read the rough draft have told me that they have enjoyed it, and this encouraged me to share this with as many people as I could. Therefore, in order to make this work, I had to make some embellishments.

First of all, to make this work, I put Kinkan town, and the academy, 20 miles outside a prominent city in the U.S. where one of the heroes in this story originally hails. Second, I went about adding depth to the characters that the manga lacked, in order for the story to have the authentic feel to it, and make it more complete for reading. Third, I had to tweak the story of the two heroes just a touch that I have added to the mix so that it would seem more feasible for them to even be there, and added some new characters for more flavor. The result was a lengthy, but yet, quite fun story, and I hope that this is as fun for you to read as it was for me to write.

**Princess Tutu and the Secret Six**

**I**

In a small village, sitting 20 miles outside Fawcett City, in a village that retains its colonial flavor, sits the Kinkan School of the Arts: a renowned school that attracts art students from all over the world who are hopeful for fame, and who hope to perfect their arts. It was named for one Kinkan Matzuzama, a Japanese immigrant to America, who was a purveyor of the arts, and eventually conductor of the Fawcett City Symphony Orchestra. When he retired, he took is now vast fortune, and opened a school of the arts, leaving his fortune to the school in order that it may forever continue to foster the arts, and aid young hopefuls in their pursuit of glory. As August drew to a close, new and returning students were beginning to make their way back to the school. At Fawcett International Airport, the majority of those students were coming off their respective flights, and beginning to head to the bus depot for the short jaunt to the school. Of course, there was the gleeful screams, laughs, and back slaps of old school chums meeting after the long, yet seemingly short summer break, and the occasional lost pre-teen or teen new student, looking for anyone to help get him or her to the school. A few chartered buses sat at the depot, awaiting the students, and the attendants were quickly packing bags, instruments, and other paraphernalia onto the cargo bays. Slowly into this commotion headed two 17-year-old German boys: one with very light blonde hair, giving the appearance of being almost white, (making him look older than his years,) left loose and shaggy, and the other with jet-black hair, long enough to do a colonial style pony tail in the back. The blonde boy had a kind, but powerful, looking face, with bright blue eyes, and a contented grin. The other always seemed to affect a dead serious look on his own face, and he was always looking around himself, as if he were on a constant alert for who knows what. The blonde boy was searching the body of students at the busses, slightly anxious, and he asked in his native German, "Have you seen her, Fakir?"

"Seen who, Mytho?" asked Fakir, not even looking at his comrade.

"Rue," he responded, "She said she would meet us here at about this time."

"Relax," answered Fakir, with a slight grin now curing on his lips, "She'll be here. Remember, she's coming from Japan; her flight could have been delayed for any number of reasons. Oh, and would you please speak in English: we are going to have to get used to using it again. We need the refresher."

"Oops, sorry," answered Mytho, "After speaking the home tongue again for three months, it becomes instinctive."

"What becomes instinctive?" said a curious female voice from behind Mytho, with a slight Japanese accent. At this, two arms came from behind him and embraced him tightly, and a kiss on the cheek. Mytho's hand came up and gave a gentle squeeze to his embracer's hand. He then quickly spun around, began to twirl the young lady in a series of pirouettes, and then picked her up with the ease of lifting a feather as she put her hands on his shoulder, posing in an arabesque. "Rue!" he exclaimed, "How long have you been standing here?"

"Long enough to see Mr. Stoic here ever on the lookout, and to listen to the both of you speak in that guttural tongue of yours," Rue slyly answered, with a slight sneer on her lips.

"Oh, and like your Japanese is any more elegant?" responded Fakir. They all laughed, and then began to exchange pleasantries. "So, how's that antique dealing father of yours, boys?" she asked.

"He and Bridgett send their best," said Fakir, slightly clicking his heels, and with a bow just as slight. Rue then asked, "So, how was your summer?"

"Well," Mytho answered, "It was quite pleasant. We were able to get a JungesBahnPass and were able to tour the countryside, practicing in whatever studio we could. It was fun seeing all those other ballet students from all over Germany, learning what we could. When we mentioned who we were, and where we were going, people responded as if we were going to Julliard, or the Academy of Saint Martin's in the Fields!"

"Well, Kinkan is that renown," responded Rue, "It is not easy to get in, although it does not cost much, thanks to the old man's fortune. You have to have talent."

"I do not think money would be your worry anyway, Rue," said Fakir, "what with your family background and all."

"Now, please don't bring that up!" she said, rolling her eyes into her head, "You do not know how hard it is to fight the 'snotty-rich-girl' reputation!"

"Not that you've done much to fight that reputation," joked Fakir.

"Thanks a lot!" Rue said dryly.

"Besides, people are always amazed at how good your English is," responded Fakir, "That takes money to send someone to the right schools that will teach the language properly, not that these people have used it in this country in years!"

They all laughed at the joke, not meaning any malice towards the country in which they would be spending the next nine months. Rue then said, "Besides, you know that it takes talent, or the potential for that, to get in anyway."

From behind, frantically yelling and gesturing, hauling a suitcase that seemed to have more of a say in where it wanted to go than its owner cared for, came a young 13-year-old redheaded girl, slightly on the skinny side, with a long, braided hair. "Hey, Rue-chan!" she yelled, "Hey! Hey! Wait up! This thing is heavy."

She frantically moved about with hyperactivity reminiscent of an excited duck. Rue sighed heavily, then grinned as she said, "Speaking of talent…or lack thereof…"

They wheeled around to see the approaching, excited duck of a girl, all smiled, and Fakir then went over to help her with her case. "It looks like that thing is beating you up, Ahiru!"

"Ha, ha!" she said, very frustrated, "Could you please just help me, and quit the comedy act?"

Ahiru Arima was a 13-year-old American girl, the daughter of an American military officer stationed in Japan, and who had been so for some time. He named his daughter "Ahiru" after the Japanese word for "duck." She reminded him of the ugly duckling when she first came into the world, and knew it was fitting when he began to watch his daughter turn into a glorious swan. This was reinforced when she gained an aptitude for ballet at a young age, despite her clumsy, duck like demeanor. She has the dreams of being a prima ballerina someday, although in the couple of years she was attending the academy, it seemed like this would never change. However, due to the events of the previous year, and her newfound commitment to the dance because of those events, she had been practicing like crazy during the summer, and was hoping to move up to the intermediate courses that year. She considered herself a friend of Rue's, although just the year before, Rue would not have anything to do with what she considered an awkward, hyperactive child. Yet, Rue still knew her from years before, when she was a beginning dancer herself, and Ahiru was in the basics course. Still, she did not have much association with each other until the academy. The truth is that all four really did not have much to do with each other until that previous year. This is when the events of that past year bound them together in quite a unique way. The secrets that they all bore came together, and united them.

In that previous year, Mytho was the shell of his present state. It seemed that, before that time, when Mytho was a child, he was an extremely kindhearted boy, who had a unique gift for healing the wounds of all the small animals that found their way to him. He also had a heart that always caused him to go out of his way to aid all others, man or animal, when they were in danger. Fakir was his foster brother, as both were adopted orphans, raised by a generous antique dealer and blacksmith. Fakir also found himself having to rescue his brother quite frequently from his forays of rescuing things that often led Mytho into great dangers. Charon, the old smith, often admired the big hearts of his two boys, and continually told the boys that protecting was in their blood: both were descendants of knights who possessed great strength and bravery. He called Mytho the Knight Prince, and Fakir his Lord High Protector. However, events unfolded that would change them forever, which unfolded like a twisted fairy tale. One day, while Mytho was healing an injured bird, a dark voice came out of nowhere saying, "Give me that pure heart!"

Out of all corners came ravens, swooping and clawing at Mytho. Fakir did all that he could to keep them away, but he was being just as overwhelmed as Mytho. The voice said, "It is no use in fighting! Give me that heart, that I may plunge this world into darkness, and rule it forever!"

Mytho, seeing his brother in trouble, and knowing that there may be no other way, wished that his own heart be shattered, and scattered to the four winds, that this mysterious voice may never have it. Instantly, a sword appeared as if piercing straight through the chest of Mytho, having a hilt shaped from two swans facing each other, with their heads touching, and forming a heart from head, to necks, to chest. The sword then withdrew itself, and fell to the street with a clang. Though there seemed to be no visible wound, Mytho fell as if dead. When he came to, he was nothing more than a zombie, only able to do what he was told, as if he were an automaton. Fakir told Charon about this, and he explained that there was an old legend that stated that an old spirit of a raven with the power to plunge the earth into darkness, seeking a pure heart to sacrifice in order to do this. Apparently, in is selfless way, Mytho caused this to happen to his heart that it would not happen. The sad result of this, however, is that he essentially lost his soul, and it was now out there, floating around lost. Yet, Fakir swore to protect his brother from that day forward, keeping the sword he found for him and Mytho. He kept Mytho with him wherever he went. When Fakir displayed an aptitude and love for ballet, and started training, he had Mytho join him. It was easier for Mytho to pick up on it, considering that all he needed was to be programmed with the moves, and then he would execute them. However, even though he executed the dance perfectly, Mytho's dance never seemed to have any life in it. Still, Charon figured that it would be best to send the boys somewhere safe, lest the Raven return for vengeance. Thus, he sent them to Kinkan to perfect their art. This is where the events of the previous year come into play.

While at the academy, Rue fell madly in love with Mytho, seeing that he really seemed to have no spirit, and desperately wanted to provide this for him. At the same time, Ahiru stumbled onto one of his practices in the ballet room when she had assumed she was late for class, and was rushing in. She saw the blank expression, and empty eyes, and also desired to see the young man regain his smile, (for she figured that is what he needed the most.) She also fell madly in love with him, yet felt it something out of reach, being that she was only 12, and he was 16. What both girls despised was the fact that Fakir always kept a tight wrap on Mytho, and tried to keep themselves as recluses on the campus. This is when fate played her hand. Unbeknownst to both girls, each had been approached by one Miss Edel, who understood the wishes of both girls, and gave them both pendants, telling them that, with those pendants, they would be able to find the pieces of Mytho's heart. However, Rue, (who at that time was quite snobbish,) was given the mission of merely gathering the pieces, playing off the fact that she was greedy to keep Mytho to herself, and would do anything to protect him. She felt, as Fakir did, that, to restore his heart would be dangerous, and it would be better if Mytho stayed the way that he was. Rue, by the pendant, could transform herself into the raven princess: Kraehe. She took on the appearance of a raven-like ballerina, with a quite revealing black, feathery tutu, tights, and toe shoes. She could perform magic, fight, as well as dance, and use these things as offensive weapons to fight for her "dear prince." However, Ahiru was given a pendant that actually contained a piece of Mytho's heart, and it transformed her into a swan princess: Tutu. She wore a white strapless tutu, with light pink tights and trim, and dark pink toe shoes, puffy armbands, and a white, feathery head ring, with a small gold crown, and small wings on the back. Whereas Ahiru was an awkward dancer, Tutu was a prima. Her ability was to dance to guide people's hearts. She could affect plants with her dancing to grow at her whim, to be used for protection, transport, and defense. She never liked fighting, and that caused her some problems when such things seemed necessary. However, her ability to reach into minds and resolve the inner conflicts of people that caused them to do some wrong things was her best weapon. Her gentle speech and demeanor was enough to calm the hardest of people. What the two of them did not know was that Edel was in fact the Raven Priestess. She served and loved her master well. She knew that pitting the two girls together would accelerate the search and restoration process along faster, and that she could then sacrifice Mytho to revive the spirit of the Raven, and plunge the world into darkness forever. What Edel did not factor in was the tenacity of the two girls in their tasks. She did not figure that Rue would catch on to Edel's intent, and then seek to prevent the heart's restoration to save her love. She also did not figure that Mytho, once having his heart restored, would be able to lend some of his magic to Tutu, in order to let her use her abilities to save them from Edel's lair, considering that the giving over of the final piece in the pendant meant the end of Tutu. No one knew what had happened to Edel. Since she never reemerged, they figured that she had been killed, banished, or in some other way punished for her failures by the Raven himself. They just did not know. Fakir had done all he could to protect Mytho, and prevent the restoration to his heart, but then realized that Tutu meant no harm, and just might be able to resolve the issue once and for all. Yet, when the incident was over, both girls lost their pendants. However, the people that they had become left some kind of a signature on them. Rue became less arrogant, and even helpful to the younger girls in the classes, aiding them in getting better. Ahiru was able to use visualization techniques always to keep in mind the princess she had once been, and to let that affect her dance. The whole incident bound them together as friends. Mytho and Rue found a deep love for one another, as all of them found a deep bond of friendship form between them. They often did not speak of things of the past, but they knew things would be better now that things were returned to normal.

…or so they thought.

As they were making their way onto the bus, two squeals of joy erupted behind Ahiru, "WHEE!" they shouted, "AHIRU! Its so good to see you again!"

She was quickly embraced, and almost tackled, by two girls her age: Mai and Yuma. Yuma was a blonde English girl, full of spunk and energy, and all "girl." Mai was a Korean girl who was very much a tomboy. However, because of the way the two were, they complimented each other, and became good friends as a result. However, to some girls, they were seen as oddballs, and were ignored by most. Because "birds of a feather flock together," they saw the awkwardness of Ahiru, and figured that they had a kindred spirit. She was quickly included within their flock, and they did indeed become good friends. They tittered and chatted the way that 13-year-old girls will do, and the other three laughed to see how quickly Mai and Yuma were mobbing Ahiru, preening her feathers, so to speak, and sweeping her away. Ahiru looked back with a desperate look on her face, hoping for help. But Rue said, "Go ahead, Ahiru-chan! You three need to catch up."

Ahiru glared back with a surprised and aggravated look on her face. Apparently, she did not want to be reunited with these two _that_ soon coming off the plane! However, the other three took this as a break. She was their friend, and yet, more like a kid sister: they loved her, but could only take her in certain doses. Yet, they also knew that Ahiru did what she could to insure that no one got a small dose. Thus, this was a break for them, as they wanted to take the time to focus in on school. This was their senior year, and they hoped to graduate with high honors, giving them a chance at an art college, or maybe even the big time right away. As the buses pulled out, they figured that, hopefully, their lives would return to the normal routine of dance and academic classes, and living life. However, as the buses pulled away, a raven sat in a tree intently watching the bus upon which the four rode. After it was out of sight, it flew away swiftly, as if to find someone.


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

The children were soon settled into their respective rooms and dorms, and started to look at their upcoming class schedules. Ahiru also knew that she would have to, in a couple of days, put on a classic variation, in hopes of moving up to the intermediate class. That pressed on her mind no end, not knowing how to go about stringing a routine together, or even what music to use. Rue assured her that she would help the next day, because she wanted to see her succeed, and was looking for ideas for herself. She knew that part of her final exam would be to do a classic variation as well, yet hers would be far more technically demanding. It would have to be good, and practically flawless if she hoped to graduate on time. It was the same as putting together a college thesis, so she knew that she would spend the majority of her free time putting together this routine for the end of the year. If she could help Ahiru, and gain some ideas for it, her help would not be wasted time. Ahiru was roomed with her two girlfriends, and they had talked excitedly about the new year at some length. However, it was beginning to get old at that moment, so she excused herself to take a short walk. As she walked the campus, enjoying the late summer weather and the sun on her face, she passed by the rise on the campus mall, and began to hear some of the sweetest guitar playing and singing she had ever heard. She made her way up the stone steps that led to a walkway at the top of the rise. When she got there, she saw a small, ever changing crowd of people around the mysterious musician: people who stopped to listen for a minute or two, and then moved on to their own business. When she moved past the crowd, she was able to see just who this troubadour was. Sitting there, with a 12 string acoustic Gibson on his knee, wearing a red tee shirt with yellow trim, blue jeans and tennis shoes, black, wavy hair parted on the right side, was this seeming spell casting bard, for his music seemed to suck one in. He finished his song, thought for a minute, and then began another song. It was "Across the Universe" by the Beatles, and he was singing it from the bottom of his heart, with a big smile on his face. As he played, the tune began to stir within her, and she, almost instinctively, began to dance. In fact, it felt as if Tutu herself was there guiding her every move. Now, the passing people, who had been giving momentary interest to the scene, were now standing and staring in disbelief at the sight. Some were able to recognize Ahiru, but wondered where she got the skill to dance like that, considering how clumsy she could be at times. However, they could not recognize the young teen playing. After he finished, he turned his head to see Ahiru on the ground, one leg bent behind her, the other straight out in front, with her head bowed over the stretched out leg, arms extended to her foot. The boy was surprised to see this display, considering how engrossed in his playing that he was, and wondered exactly what was going on behind him the whole time. "Do you often introduce yourself to people like that," he said, in a kind voice, and with a big grin. Ahiru suddenly realized what had happened, and realized that she had completely lost herself in her dance to the point where it did not even seem like her dancing anymore. It was as if the spirit of Tutu had taken over, and was dancing for her. Of course, at the realization on how much she had let herself go, especially in the presence of this stranger, her face turned beat red, and she leaped up, chattering and moving in her duck-like manner, profusely apologizing for her interruption of his playing, and trying to explain herself to him. Sadly, in the process, she forgot herself again, and rolled tail over teakettle down the embankment to the bottom of the mall. As she lay there in mild pain, she wondered if she would ever be able to live this down. As she began to lift her head, (and her vision ceased to be blurry,) her eyes began to focus on the young man who had been playing, who was now kneeling over her on one knee, right hand on his raise knee, his left hand swinging the guitar onto his back. He had that same warm smile, and asked in a sincere manner, "Are you alright? Is anything hurt?"

"Nothing but my pride," she said dejectedly as she tried to rise up to her feet. However, the young stranger put his hand underneath her shoulder, and helped her up. This was only the second person at this school she could recall helping her up like this when she had fallen, (which was more often than she care to remember.) The only other was Mytho, which had endeared her to him from that moment. The thing was that, both this kid, and Mytho had the same look of care and concern in their eyes, yet, this was a perfect stranger, who didn't know her from Adam, and still took the time to see if she was okay. Most people around here just laughed at your misfortune, but not this one. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Miss Arima," she said all formal. The boy said, "Well, I am William Batson, but you can call me Billy."

"Really?" she said, "We just met!"

"Does that matter?" he asked, confused.

"Well…oh yeah," she remembered. They were not in Japan anymore: they were in the U.S. She didn't have to worry so much about such formalities anymore. "I'm sorry. I was raised in Japan on an American military outpost, and the Japanese don't normally use first names, or familiar terms when they first meet. I keep forgetting that we only do that here when it is some kind of formal affair or business kind of thing."

"Oh, okay," Billy said, "Then, do you have a first name?"

"Ahiru," she said.

"That's a pretty name, but not what I am used to."

That surprised Ahiru. No one had ever said that before about her name, especially in Japan, where the meaning of the name was well known. She then said, "Well, it is Japanese, and my mother and father liked the name so much they decided to give that to me."

"Why?"

She shuffled her feet a bit, not being used to giving out such personal information to a person she had just met, and then she kept reminding herself that she had to get used to the American culture again. She hesitated, and then answered, "Well, they always called me their baby duck, because I loved to splash around in the bath when I was little, and looked like I waddled when I was learning to walk. So, Ahiru became my name."

"I'm guessing 'Ahiru' means 'duck,'" asked Billy.

"Yes, that's right."

"That's funny!"

"What's so funny about that!" she asked, a bit offended.

"No, no! I didn't mean that your name was funny. Its just that my dad used to call me Rubber Duckie."

"Why's that?"

"No matter what happened to me, I just kept bouncing back, and staying afloat," he mused.

"Is that all?"

"Eh, no, but, when I was little, I used to like Ernie, from _Sesame Street_, especially when he sang his song."

Quickly changing the subject, she said, "You have such a great voice! Are you here for music?"

"That's one reason," he answered, "I'm also here for voice, and dance."

"Wow!" she exclaimed, "That would make for a busy schedule! Why are you doing so much?"

"I'm hoping to get on Broadway."

"That seems an awful lot for that." They began to walk up the steps, back to where his case sat, and he took his position again. He began to strum something indiscriminate, and continued the conversation. He then said, "Well, if you're going into that kind of show business, all three can be crucial: the more you can do, the more things open up."

She then asked, "What kind of dance?"

"Let's see…I've already mastered tap, and now I am doing ballet."

"I didn't think that was needed."

"Ah," he answered, "That's where you make the classic mistake most people make. Ballet is such a precision style of dance, that it is the standard and base for all other kinds of dance out there. For me, what Bach was to music, ballet is to the dance."

"That's what I do!" she said, happily, though she did not know why. She responded as if she though it was great they might be in the same class, and then she wondered over her excitement, considering they had just met, and she didn't know him from Adam. Billy took it in stride, and said sarcastically, "Gee, I couldn't tell."

"Oh, stop it!" she giggled, and gave him a playful shove. "How far have you gone?"

"I'm about at the intermediate level, but I have to take a test the day after tomorrow: a classic variation."

"Oh? That's what I have to do," she said dejectedly.

"Why the long face?"

"I want to go to that level, but I'm afraid I'm not very good solo. I was able to do _Swan_ _Lake_ last year as Odette. However, one of the older boys from the advanced class helped me get through it. I'm not even _en pointe_ yet."

"Hey, I'll tell you what," he said, "What are you doing tomorrow morning?"

"They are opening the dance room tomorrow for us do work on these kind of things, and my friends from the advanced class will be there at about 8 o'clock to help me."

"Do you mind if I got involved? Maybe together we can work out our own routines."

"Wow! This kid gets friendly fast!" she thought. She wondered what was happening, in that they were getting along so well so quickly. "In fact, I'll be there at seven doing my own personal warm ups. If you want, you can be there."

"That's okay," she said, not sure where that would go, "But I'll look for you."

"Okay," she said, "I'll see you then."

"Hey, before you go, do you have any requests?"

"That song you were singing before: who was that?"

Billy looked at her surprised, "That was the Beatles!"

"How long have they been around?"

Billy looked stunned. "Are you telling me you have never heard of the Beatles?"

She looked embarrassed. Billy caught this, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude like that. It's just that they were the greatest pop band of all time."

"Dad never was into pop. He liked classical, and that's all I've ever danced to. People around here don't normally like that kind of music."

Billy rolled his eyes. "Oh boy!" he said, "That's gonna have to change! There is some good modern music out there to dance ballet to. Don't they teach the contemporary style around here?"

"Not really," she answered, "I guess they figure that you won't learn your basics otherwise."

"Hogwash!" he spit out, "Looks like I'm really gonna have to prove a point!"

"Careful, Mr. Katt may not like it, and make you stay after class."

"Who's he?"

"He's the head dance instructor, and he is really strict."

"Leave that to me," Billy said, "I think I can loosen him up."

"Good luck!" she said, rolling her eyes. He was just about to ask the question again, when Rue and Mytho walked up. Rue had been watching the two conversing when she caught sight of them, and thought it neat that Ahiru had someone her age that showed some interest in her. "Hi you two," Rue said, "What's up?"

Ahiru stood up, not sure what to say, and said in quick succession, "Oh this? This is Billy, and he's a new friend. Well, I guess he's a new friend, but it's not like that: not what you think. Wait, how would you know what I was thinking right then? Well, I guess it seemed strange when you saw it, but we can't make assumptions, now can we…"

As this was going on, Billy began to get cute and began playing Flight of the Bumble Bee on his guitar as she went on in her tirade. It was then that she caught herself, "…and I, uh, (suddenly realizing what was being played,) what's the big…oh, _ha, ha._"

The other two giggled. "Sorry, Ahiru, you kind of left yourself open to that," said Mytho. Billy said, "Why don't you sit down, and I'll help 'broaden your musical experience.'"

At that, he proceeded to play and sing _Blackbird_. It seemed to calm Ahiru down, but also shook Rue a bit, considering her associations the year before. The song seemed to hit home with her a bit, considering the lyrics. However, everyone was pleased, and Mytho said, "Hey, why don't we go for some ice cream? You can bring your guitar."

"Okay, that seems like fun," he said. At this Rue decided to have a little fun with Ahiru, and said, "Yeah, we can make it a double date!" and nudged Ahiru, as they walked off. Slightly annoyed, she whispered through the corner of her mouth, "Stop it! That's not funny!"

However, Billy seemed genuinely bashful at the thought. Both Rue and Mytho thought that strange, considering how confident a musician he seemed to be. They would have to get his story out of him while at the shop.

After eating, Billy opened his case, pulled out his guitar, and then, interestingly enough, set the case out in front of the table opened to any passer-by that would come along. This seemed strange how instinctive this act seemed to be. When it came time to pay the bill, the others began to reach for their pockets, but Billy waived them off, and paid himself. His wallet had enough bills in it to form a roll big enough to choke a dinosaur! This left all of them with eyes as wide open as dinner plates. "Where did you get that kind of money!" said a now thoroughly surprised Rue.

"Ah, it's a long story," said Billy, with his head down a bit.

"Its no reason to be ashamed," said Mytho, "It's just different to see someone your age with so much money on him. Aren't you worried about thieves?"

"Actually, no," said Billy, "If that became an issue, all I have to do is 'say-the-word', and it would be resolved rather quickly."

"And what would that be?" asked Ahiru. Billy suddenly turned a bit pale, with his eyes darting a bit, not sure how to answer. Billy quickly diverted things, hoping to get them off that. "Well, it has to do with 'my story,' but, like I said, it's a long one, and I don't want to bore you."

Mytho, understanding that they may have hit something a bit personal, said, "If it's something personal, there's no need to say anything. But, if you did, we do have plenty of time this afternoon before bed check."

"Well…okay, here it goes," he answered, and then went into his story. "My dad was an Egyptologist, and an archeologist. I'm actually a twin, but, because of some things, my sister and I were separated at birth. What I mean by that is this: my dad had made some discoveries that netted him some wealth. Yet, dad had a colleague who wanted to claim this discovery. When his colleague was turned down for this, he sought revenge, threatened dad, and his whole family. When some attempts were carried out, he thought it best to scatter the family, hoping to reunite us one day. Yet, when I was about six year old or so, the man carried out his revenge, and was able to get my mother at the same time through channels. Fortunately, my uncle Dudley was watching me at that time, so he had no idea where I was, and I was spared, as was my sister, due to her anonymity. Because Uncle Dudley was unable to take care of me at that time, I was put into foster care. However, I had a series of bad homes. Then, when I was almost nine, I was adopted by a man who seemed that he was sincere about taking me in, but all he had an eye on was an inheritance set aside for me in a trust fund. Using some legal maneuvering, he managed to get his hands on it, threw me out in the street, and claimed I had run away. I spent two years living on the streets. It was during this time that I learned some of the things that I know. In fact, some of those homeless were people of the arts that had hit hard times, and saw that I had a natural talent. One old fellow taught me how to tap dance, another taught me how to play the guitar, so I could earn some money playing on the corner."

"That explains why you opened the case the way you did," observed Rue.

"Oh yeah, I guess its an old habit now," said Billy, as he continued to play some nondescript tune, "Anyway, I was in this situation, living in an abandoned subway, when an opportunity hit me to come out of all this. I had a benefactor provide me with the means to rise up out of the mess, and then, I had a chance meeting with a reporter visiting from another town. When he found out who I was, he did all that he could to get me off the street, and put me with someone he was sure that would take good care of me. He's a colleague that works for WHIZ radio and television services. I spent time learning about broadcast journalism, and even got a chance to anchor the news as a novelty from time to time. When I went in front of the camera, my mentor saw that I had a natural ability to perform, and had me in all kinds of performance arts kind of things: voice, acting lessons, music, and he started me in ballet. I wasn't to keen on it at first, but, I began to like it. I realized that I would need this later on, because, I now have a dream of making it in theatre one day: Broadway, London's West End or something like that. It's fun. However, the more you can do, the more chances in things you have. Since I already knew tap, that helped. However, I found out knowing ballet also helps."

"How so?" asked a now genuinely intrigued and very attentive Ahiru.

"Well…if we ever do _Cats_ at the school, I think you would quickly figure out why!" said Billy smiling, "Anyway, This is my shot at life. Even if it doesn't work out, I can still fall back on broadcast journalism. I guess it boils down to a simple question: if you had one shot, just one, to take what you are, be something greater, be it forever, and know you have done this world some good, even if just a little, would you take it, or just let it slip? There is an old saying here in America…you may know this one Ahiru…when opportunity knocks, you'd better be at home!"

This threw Ahiru off. Indeed, she had been given this opportunity once, although she could not keep it when the time came to finish the mission, even if it came at the wrong hands. She had chosen to do some good with what she had been given despite the source. However, she could not keep it. Although she thought that it was okay, and she could go on with life, she now realized that her life would never be normal after what had happened. The essence of that which she had been coursed through her veins, and dictated much of what she did, including in her dance. She may have ceased being Tutu physically, but not in spirit. It was as if Tutu stayed with her, semi-dormant, just active enough to guide her. It did not escape the notice of her teacher: Mr. Katt. He was very impressed at her improvement in the dance. He hoped that this would be the year that she could advance to the intermediate level, and finally go _en Pointe_. Her friends even noticed the change, in that she was always there when someone needed help, and she was often going out of her way for people. It seemed that Tutu was begging for more of a release, but Ahiru did not know how to bring her forth. She hoped that, maybe, one day, she could grow into being Tutu as she got older, but she also knew that that was no guarantee. The thunderous silence that now came from Ahiru did not escape the notice of Rue. She knew that Ahiru was much more talkative than this, even if all she did at that moment was ramble on. "Ahiru, is everything alright?"

Ahiru suddenly snapped to, as if awaking from a dream. "Oh…yeah…I was, just, well, lost in thought."

Rue turned her head a bit and stared at her for a moment. She then let it go, figuring that it would be better to ask another time.

After the ice cream, and as they were walking back to the academy, talk soon turned to the test the day after the next, and registration. Billy offered to be there to help her warm up the next morning, but this time, she was noncommittal, saying, "Well, I'll see," but seeming occupied in thought. After saying good-bye, Ahiru and Rue went into the girl's dorm, and Ahiru started to head to her room. However, Rue took her arm, and said, "Not yet: we have to talk."

Ahiru looked askance at the statement. Rue detected the confusion, and said, "Something is bugging you, isn't it? It started after William asked that question, wasn't it?"

Ahiru bit on her lower lip, head down, stirring her foot on the floor a bit. Yes, that was it. "'So…a penny for your thoughts,' I think the saying goes."

"Rue, did I miss 'my shot?'" quizzed Ahiru.

"What do you mean?" Rue said, looking confused.

"Rue," Ahiru continued, seeming to ignore the question, "Does anything of Kraehe ever enter into what you do?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that."

"I mean, do you still see yourself as her? Do you do things that may be like her?"

"Actually, I've done all I can to forget that. I wasn't very nice at that time, you know."

"But," she paused, seeming to search for the right word, "…but, does she try to come out?"

Rue wanted to close the subject, and prepared to say something forceful to make Ahiru drop the subject. However, Ahiru hit on something that she could not deny, and said, "You know, I have to admit that she tries to come up from time to time. She seems to be my strength and fortitude when I need it the most, especially when I have to stand up for myself, something, or someone else. But, I can't let take over: I can't risk becoming bitter, vicious, and overconfident again."

"Could she be trying to give you confidence where you lack it?"

"I don't know. Anyway, what does this have to do with you, unless… Wait a minute! It's Tutu, right?"

Ahiru slumped into a chair there in the lobby, and began to cry. "I miss her! I miss being Tutu! I know she's in here," pointing to her heart, "and she wants to come out, and be me, and I be her, but I don't know how. I mean, she helps me dance, gives me strength, makes me want to help people, but I don't know how to bring her out!"

Ahiru was now realizing, for the first time, why it is that most superheroes, when they try to walk away, cannot do it. There comes a point where their secret identities cease to be who they really are, and are more comfortable being the hero, wearing the costume, and so forth. Putting on an outward guise becomes an act to deflect people from seeing whom they really are, in an attempt to protect others related to them from dangers of vengeance by a vanquished foe. It is not who they really are. The hero is truly what they are. Once bitten by the hero bug, it is extremely hard to shake off. Even if you do manage to walk away, you are never going to be the same person ever again. Once you've tasted of that power, whether you turn it to good or evil, it is hard to step away from. For a thirteen year-old girl, this was even harder. Rue knelt behind her and hugged her, rocking her gently back and forth. "It's alright, it's alright," she consoled, knowing not if that was even true. All Rue could think of was that evil Edel, having the audacity to shoulder such a burden on a girl coming of age, trying to find her place in the world. Rue tried to console her, and said, "Look, you've got a great chance at a future. It is okay to let her inspire you, but you have to let go, honey. You can take what you learned, and use it still. You can still be someone's hero."

They sat that way for a good fifteen minutes, and then Rue said, "Now, you've got to be a brave, strong girl for me, okay? Let's think about the variation for tomorrow. Remember, it has to be something that incorporates all the basic moves, and all the dance steps you learned in the beginner course. So let's start thinking about how we want to set up that combination. It has to flow from point to point, and fit the music you choose. Have you thought about what you want to dance to yet?"

Ahiru choked back a few tears and said, "Not yet."

Rue smiled, happy to be able to get Ahiru's thoughts off the matter, and onto things that are more pertinent. She said, "Well, then you should go up to your room, and talk to Mai and Yuma. Maybe they have some ideas."

Ahiru heaved a heavy sigh to shake off the tears, and said, "Okay."

"That's my little sister!" said Rue. With that, Rue went up to her own room, and Ahiru went to the public rest room in the lobby to wash her face. She didn't want her roommates to know that she had been crying. There would be no end of the questions and speculations the two would make, and they would never leave her alone about the whole thing.

Once upstairs, and in her room, Ahiru occupied herself with a few last minute items to unpack, and asked herself, "What WILL I dance to? That is a good question."

However, her two roommates, who had seen her at lunch on the hill, were all curious to know about the handsome young boy to whom she had been talking. "So," said Yuma, "Are you going to tell us anything about that cute young chap you were talking to at lunch?"

"What's there to talk about?" asked Ahiru, hoping to change the subject, "We met, he told me about himself, Rue invited him, and I to get ice cream with Mytho, and that was it."

"Oh! You just met today, and you already went on a date!" gushed Yuma.

"IT WAS NOT A DATE!" Ahiru said firmly.

"You don't have to shout," Mai interjected, "Besides, two people of the opposite sex can go get ice cream, and have it mean nothing. However, you can at least tell us about him."

Ahiru really didn't want to talk about him at that moment, because of how closely this was following the conversation at the ice cream shop. She then said, "Well, maybe later. I have to finish this, and then think about my tryout for the intermediate class."

"And you think you have what it takes?" asked Mai.

"You know what Mr. Katt will say: if you fail, you must marry me!" added Yuma. Of course, she had a good way of imitating, and over exaggerating Mr. Katt, and that got all three girls to give a good belly laugh. That was just what Ahiru needed. Still, she remembered Billy's invitation for the next morning, and figured that it may be all right to be with him at that time. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would try anything. Besides, there seemed to be something about him that made her feel that she may get the answer that she has been seeking about Tutu. She had no real proof that this would happen, but, there seemed to be something in his confidence and positive look on life that made her believe that it could be possible. After she finished, she asked to borrow Yuma's alarm, saying there was something she had to do early, and she didn't want to miss it. Yuma said yes to this, and Ahiru set the alarm for one hour before he was to be there. After this, she put on her nightgown, and went to bed early. It had been a long day, and a long flight, and jet lag was taking an effect. However, before she drifted off to sleep, some of Billy's words wafted through her head: "If you had one chance… When opportunity knocks…"

Could it be knocking again?

Billy and Mytho entered the boy's dorm, and began to head off to their rooms. However, they both went to the same room. They both looked askance at the situation, and then Mytho asked, "Is this your room?"  
"Yeah, I came in at about 9:30 this morning, and put all my stuff in," answered Billy.

"That must have been when I was out with Rue," said Mytho, as he began to recall the day. Billy looked at him, and then said, "I hope that it's not a problem."

"Oh, no," said Mytho, "If you can play the kind of music that you do, then it will be relaxing, especially during study hall."

"Study hall?"

"Yes. We have to be in the dorms by 7 o'clock, Sunday through Thursday, and study for two hours. That way, any homework that we have not finished, we can get it done. We can also get a library pass from one of our teachers earlier in the day if we have some research to do. However, we have to be in the library, or the dorm, by that time. It's all in the student handbook."

"Oh yeah," said Billy, "I haven't had the chance to read it. I was hoping to do that tonight."

"Oh, and by the way, just to help, bed check is at 10 o'clock. You must be in by that time. You can move in all about the dorm as much as you want, you just cannot leave it. There is no 'lights out' in case you have extra study, but it is asked that you be courteous to your roommates if they are trying to sleep."

Billy then asked, "Are we the only two? It seemed like there was one more in here."

"Yes, he is my brother, in a sense. We were raised together, and we room together. I don't foresee a problem," Answered Mytho. However, just as they entered the room, there was a slightly sore Fakir, staring in the corner of the room at were Billy had set up camp. He muttered, "Really, I wish they would inform us ahead of time when they move people into a room!"

In Billy's corner was his bed, and pictures of the Beatles, Credence Clearwater Revival, Simon and Garfunkel, as well as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Caruso, the Three Tenors, Jose Cura, posters for Cats, _Phantom of the Opera_, and one vintage one, framed up and hanging special: an original movie poster for _Singing In The Rain._ There was an autographed picture of reporter Clark Kent of the _Daily Planet_ on his desk, as well as one for Superman. On another wall, in a special frame, was a picture of his mother and father, standing at a dig, with one of their latest finds. There was also a picture of the Hall of Justice, as well as a framed certificate from the Justice League of America, declaring one William H. Batson an honorary member of the league. Finally, against that wall, was a metal table, with three synthesizer keyboards on top, with various buttons, and a set of foot keys below it, and two speakers attached to the rig. Fakir looked over at the two entering the room, and eyed the stranger. He raised one eyebrow, and said, "Well, we DO make ourselves at home quite quickly, don't we?"

Billy felt his heart drop into his shorts quickly, and said, "I'm sorry, but all of those things hold meaning for me in my life. All of that makes me what I am."

"Well, next time, ask before you bring all this in here!" Fakir seethed. Billy began to detect the hostility, and did not like the "puffing up" that Fakir was doing. Mytho saw what was brewing, and said, "Fakir, that's not the way to treat a new student! Besides, if certain things had meaning to you, would not you want to do what he did, and cherish them?"

At that, Mytho pointed over his head at the two crossed swords mounted on the wall. One was Mytho's swan sword, and the other was one Charon made for Fakir: one he called the Loengrien. Both held significance for both boys: both had used them in their adventures the year before, and thus, held meaning for the both of them. However, Billy wanted to get things out in the open right away to avoid future problems, and said, with one eyebrow raised, "So, are you the room chief, the resident director, or what? They said that this was the only spot left in the dorm."

Fakir noticed Billy's posturing, and stood up, sighed, and firmly said, "No, I am none of these. I just like a quiet spot, without a lot of clutter, and with those things, (pointing at the instruments,) I don't think that is going to help."

"Now, the two of you need to settle down!" said Mytho firmly, "Billy, I'm surprised that you would be acting this way. I would have thought you had more control than this."

Billy heaved a sigh, and said, "Sorry, Mytho, it's just an old habit from the street. When someone challenges like that, you have to make it plain that you are not going to back down. You get hurt if you don't. Two years on the streets taught me that!"

Fakir tilted his head a bit, and then asked, shocked, "You…you lived on the streets?"

"Yeah! You got a problem with that?" Billy said firmly.

"No, no: it's just…well, you don't see many of your kind here," said Fakir, fumbling over his words.

"MY KIND?" thundered Billy, "Oh, NOW you crusin'!"

This was going downhill fast. Billy was beginning to inch forward; ready to get the message across that he was not to be trifled with. Mytho stepped in between them, trying to keep things from getting ugly. "Enough! Fakir, where are your manners! Billy, calm down, you are not on the streets anymore! This is not necessary!" said Mytho, trying to keep a fight from happening. Yet, Billy did not seemed to be finished, "Well, I want to know what he meant by '_My Kind_!'"

"You completely misunderstand me!" Fakir tried to reason, "It's just that we do not get many poor people in here…I mean, all that, (pointing to his things again,) just doesn't indicate that."

"You judgmental jerk!" snapped Billy, starting to form a tear in his eye, "You have no clue what it took for me to be here!"

"Billy, please, you are not helping matters here," pleaded Mytho, hoping that things did not get any worse. Sadly, it was becoming too late for that now.

"That's what I figured," said Fakir, "All you are is trouble! You have no business here!"

With that, he flicked Mytho aside, attending to teach the little upstart a lesson, and let him know who was in charge. However, Fakir was the one in for the lesson. As Fakir moved towards Billy, Billy quickly and deftly sidestepped his attacker, grabbing his outstretched arm with a seeming ballet-like move and arm gesture, and gave it a twist, smacking Fakir's arm just above the elbow. This flipped Fakir over, and dropped him hard on his buttocks. Billy, with catlike reflexes, danced about two steps back, ready for more. He then snapped, "I suggest you stand down, or this is going to get worse for you!"

Fakir, now with his pride bruised, was now ready to throttle his younger and smaller opponent. He was up in a flash, going right for his antagonist. Yet, Billy quickly deflected the punch, palm struck Fakir right in the solo plexus, and again, with a ballet-like movement, backhanded Fakir in his chin, knocking him into semi consciousness. "I'm sorry, Mytho. I will try to see if there is any other way I can be roomed. I guess I'm just too much trouble," Billy then said, tears welling up. "I thought I wouldn't have to face these kind of judgmental people again. I thought that I was in a place that accepted people for who they are, and not for what they are. I guess I was wrong. Why does this always happen?"

He slumped down on Mytho's bed, and began to fight back the tears: an old habit from the streets, in that, you did not want to show weakness before your foes. Mytho, because of being the empath that was, sensed that Billy's actions were not done out of hate, pride, or any real rage. This was out of a deep pain of always having to defend one's existence and legitimacy in the world, especially when the world around you despised your lowly estate. Fakir, who was coming around, heard what was said, and suddenly felt ashamed at how he had acted. Mytho watched him as he wiped away a trickle of blood from his mouth, and said, "In truth, you had that coming. You are too overprotective of what you consider yours. You think that you can just do what you want to people, when you want. I always knew that, one day, you were going to run into someone that would be that one-step better than you, and was not going to take your bossy attitude. Billy has had it rough, and is trying to turn things around. He needs friends, and not people who are going to judge him by the past. Take him as he is now."

Fakir saw Billy trying to pull it back, realizing that he only did what he did because he was hurt, and not because he was trying to show off. Maybe he was too bossy. He did not know what to say at that point. "Look, Billy, I…" he paused, "I guess I have been wrong. I am so used to getting my way in things that, when I don't, I get stupid. I did deserve that. I'm sorry. Welcome to Kinkan."

With that, he extended a hand. Billy looked at it for only a moment, then reached out and shook it. On the streets, it was a great sign of respect and manhood when someone "manned up" and admitted that he did you wrong. Fakir continued, "You are one tough kid!"

"Thanks," said Billy, "That's a little more like it!"

"I am curious how you got to this point, though," queried Fakir.

"Sit down, please, because this may take a bit."

With this, he repeated the story that he had told earlier. Fakir then asked, "So, where did the money come from that you were able to gain all this?"

Billy smiled, and then answered, "Dad was smart. He didn't put everything in one account. A chunk was set aside, and given to Uncle Dudley, and then to me later, when the danger had passed. Then, later, with the help of some friends, (thumbing the pictures on his desk,) that scumbag that did what he did to was caught, and what he had not squandered was returned to me. Now, I have a sizeable allowance: enough to buy anything I need, and a few things that I want. To buy things like the syntho-organ you see there, I have to call Uncle Dudley, who has partial control over the trust, and he then releases what I need for it. That money comes from what I do not spend each month from my allowance: it is squirreled away for just those kinds of things. Thus, I have enough need and play money for me here at school, and can still save up for special things. When I am 18, I will have total control of the money, with half of it going to my twin sister if she is ever found again."

Fakir sat amazed. "Well, it looks like you have had quite a story for your life. You could write a book about it."  
"One day, I might," mused Billy, "I just have to be sure it is the right time. There are some sensitive things in my story that would have to wait for the proper moment."

Fakir also said, "Someone like you that can fight as you do is a good friend to have. However, (and he stood up and clicked his heels and bowed slightly, as some Germans do,) if you ever need me, you have shown me to be someone of honor: I will be there for you."

"And I you," said Billy, matching his actions. Fakir then said, "However, I would that you did wear some kind of headphones when you play that organ."

"Of course, some organ music is quite peaceful," interjected Mytho.

"That's true," said Billy. With that, he went over to the instrument, turned it on, and then said, "I can understand 'obnoxious' if I played something like this…"

With that, He began to play a few bars of the wedding march by Mendelssohn. "However," he continued, "I could play something like this…" and then he began to play _Air on the G String, _by Bach. Fakir was impressed. "Ah so, you like Bach?" he said.

"Hey, Bach is the Doc," answered Billy, "Without him, we would not have music as we know it."

"Many Germans know his music very commonly," said Mytho, "If you can play like that, it may enhance our studies."

"If I get the chance during the week, anyway," answered Billy, "because my mornings will be taken up with ballet, acting, voice, and music, and the afternoon will be taken up by academics. I will more than likely be in class up to 4:00 PM, just to keep up."

"Wow!" said Fakir, "How are you going to do it?"

Billy though for a minute, and said, in a mock-unsure way, "Ah, sleep's going to be a luxury!"

"Then most certainly," said Fakir, "We shall do all we can to aid you in your efforts."

Fakir, instead of having a new foe, had made a new friend, and comrade. He then asked, "What else can this instrument do?"

"Well, it can mimic a pipe organ, as you heard, or, I can rig it to literally mimic an orchestra," said Billy.

"Then, play us something," said Mytho, smiling.

Billy thought for a moment, and then played _Giga_ by Bach. The organ playing caught the attention from the rest of the floor, and everyone came to investigate. After this was done, Billy played _Gigue in Fugue_, also by Bach. Before that, he explained that this song was designed for the organ player to look like he is performing a dance as he played on the foot keys, and anyone with an aptitude for dancing, or at least a strong love for it, were welcome to join in. This went on to about near midnight, when everyone agreed that it was time for bed, and they all broke up. Billy lay in bed, thinking how hard, but how good, things were going to be. However, he also was a touch concerned about one other responsibility that he held, and held back from everyone. He knew that one would be hard to carry out, and hoped that Black Adam would be able to aid in this task, now that he had given up in his evil ways. For Billy held a great secret that tied in the Justice League, Superman, and him together. He told no one, save a trusted few; because he knew the danger that others may wind up in if they had this knowledge. With that, he drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

III

The alarm sounded, and dutifully awoke Ahiru for her tasks that morning. The first one was already manifesting itself outside her window. The birds that she always fed each morning had already gathered either floating outside the window or perched on the ledge. Ahiru wrapped her comforter around her, still trying to get the sleep out of her eyes, and then poured the bowl of seed for her bird friends. As soon as she opened the window, she was mobbed by a ball of wings and twittering. "Okay, okay!" she said, semi-whispering, as not to awaken her roommates, "It's nice to see you again, too!"

An arm arose out of the feather ball, and set the bowl on the counter that sat before the window. The mass moved from her to the bowl. She sat and contentedly watched her friends eat for about 10 minutes, and then began to prepare herself for her practice, and whatever else it was that Billy wanted to teach her. As she finished putting on her yellow bodysuit and grey leotard, and just as she was braiding her hair, she heard a voice walking below her. It was rich and melodic. She looked out the window as her bird friends were leaving, after having been well foddered, and saw Billy walking along the mall towards the ballet hall. He was wearing a blue tee shirt, black tights, sandals, and something else on his feet that she thought she recognized, but couldn't tell from her vantage point. She quickly put her sneakers on, grabbed her sack with her slippers and changes of clothes, and went to meet him. She came out the doors just as he was passing by. He stopped singing and said, "Well, good morning, Baby Duck!" Billy said, quite warmly.

"Baby Duck!" she asked.

"Well, considering your name and behavior, it fits you!" he said, smiling. She didn't know how to take it, because it wasn't said in a mean way, but it was a bit of a slight. The awkward reputation was something she was trying to fight, but was something with which she was making no headway. Trying to change the subject, she noticed that he was wearing what could best be described as a pair of black, old fashioned, Japanese house shoes. They had a slightly padded bottom, a separate compartment for the big toe, and were actually quite comfortable. She asked, "Where did you get those?"

"Get what?" he asked.

"Where did you get those house shoes?"

"Oh, these? These were a gift from a visiting Japanese reporter to WHIZ. I later found that they make for great ballet slippers. I can do demi-Pointe in these better."

"Well, whatever works best, I guess."

"Oh, and, where did you learn how to sing like that. It was so different from what I heard yesterday," asked Ahiru.

"That was the operatic style," answered Billy, "If all singers learned that style, or at least the mechanics behind it, it would improve all their styles of singing. It is the ultimate in vocal control and technique. It is what I call 'vocal ballet.' You literally dance with your voice. What the ballet is to dance, opera is to voice."

"What were you singing?"

"_Nessun Dorma_, from the opera _Turnadot_."

"That means 'no one is sleeping'."

"No one is sleeping: that's correct! How did you know that?" answered Billy.

"I'm Italian by heritage. Daddy taught me the language at a young age. What's the story about?"

Billy then began to tell the story behind the opera. Now she was beginning to gain an appreciation for that art as well as her own. Whether or not she realized it, Billy was trying to expand her knowledge in the arts. He believed that, the more that she knew about the other classic forms, it might end up enhancing her love for her mainstay: ballet.

They arrived at the ballet room, and they both entered, each one going into their exercises. However, Billy, instead of going to the bar, and limbering up, grabbed a chair, pulled a laptop computer from his pack, extended a plug to an outlet, booted it up, went into his music files, and picked a file entitled "warm-ups." He then went to the middle of the floor to begin. Ahiru stopped what she was doing to see what he was up to, and it looked to her like he was getting ready to dance: something that was not always wise without proper limbering up. He stood with his feet at shoulder width, his two hands lowered together on his belly, middle fingers touching. It looked like a ballet position, as if he were going to dance. However, she wondered what kind of a dance it would be, considering the music was quite slow. Instead, he slowly inhaled as he lifted the two cupped hands straight up his torso to his chest, turned his hands over, and then exhaled as he pushed his hands downward. He repeated this, and then, when his hands were almost to the bottom, he tilted them sideways, thumb to thumb, and began a pushing motion to the right as he bent his knee towards that direction. He then faced his hands, thumb to thumb the opposite way, rocked his upper body the same direction as he straightened his right leg and bent his left leg at the same time. When it was bent, he lifted his right leg, stepped forward as he turned his hands back the way they were before, and pushed again. He then pivoted his feet, flipped his hand again, and did the same thing on the other side. He went into two other similar exercises, keeping the same rhythmic breathing going as he did. By the fourth movement, Ahiru was already standing in front of him, very curious to what she was seeing, and she was somewhat certain as to what he was doing. Billy then noticed her staring, knowing that she would eventually come over and ask what the deal was. "Do you recognize what this is?" Billy asked. "Is it Tai Chi?" she said.

"Yep, that's right," he said, "This is how I limber up."

"Is this what you wanted to show me?"

"Actually, yes it is. An old Chinese fellow spent two years teaching me this when I was homeless. He figured it would help teach me balance—both spiritual and physical—as well as teach me how to fight."

"You can fight with this?"

"This is a martial art. It is taught at this pace so that the pupil can learn how to be precise with blocks and strikes, and be able to make a quick work of things when brought to full speed."

"It almost looks like a ballet."

"Well, it's sort of a dance. I believe the Japanese would call it a Kata. How would you like to learn?"

"Why?"  
"This could be useful if you ever find yourself with some pervert who wants to do something unsavory with you."

"What do I do?"

"Just stand in front of me, and mirror my moves. If you do this with me every morning before class, I will teach you five sequences, and you will do them so often that they will be instinctive to you. You will memorize them to the point where you can stand beside me instead of in front of me, and we can do it in sync. Plus, if you are ever in that dangerous situation, you will be surprised how quickly and naturally you will go into this to protect yourself."

With that, Billy went to the laptop, started the music over, and they began. As he went, he told her to make her breathing as rhythmic, and talked her through each move, in a low, steady tone. She wasn't as smooth, as she was just beginning to learn, but she began to feel a balance in her heart, and it almost felt as if Tutu was right behind her, talking her through the moves, "Slowly, breath deliberately: when you do this, I will help you," she envisioned Tutu saying. She didn't feel like she was Ahiru as much anymore as she literally felt like she was Tutu. Considering the night before, this made her feel great.

About ten minutes from the top of the hour, Rue, Mytho, and Fakir came in. That's when they saw the pair mirroring each other, going through the moves again. There was a good spirit present, and they waited until they were done: they didn't want to disrupt the magic that they were seeing being cast before them. Rue saw the prima ballerina that Ahiru was destined to be. Fakir saw what it was that had defeated him the night before. He then began to remind himself that underestimating one's opponents are what lead to defeat. He now knew Billy was a tough customer, and could be handy in a fight. Mytho, in his mind's eye, and by his gifts, saw three there: Billy, Ahiru, and Tutu. He muttered, "Tutu," to himself quietly: "You haven't left us: you are still here!"

As the two finished, a few other ballet students entered the room, and all went to one place or another to limber up, and work on their fundamentals, or whatever else they needed to work on. Billy and Ahiru greeted their friends, and then they began to get to work. They all sat on the floor, discussing the variations. Billy already had the framework for something, and he was discussing it with the other two boys. Rue asked Ahiru if she settled on the music. That caught Billy's attention, especially when she said she didn't know a whole lot of music to which she could dance. She had always just danced to whatever was played, and paid no attention to what it was that was played. Billy piped up, and said, "Have you considered taking any basic music appreciation classes? It may help give you an idea of the repertoire out there, and help you with practicing."

Rue seemed to agree, and said that they would have to look into that at registration that afternoon. In the meantime, Billy offered some suggestions, and Billy played _Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring_, by Bach, and said that may be a good rhythm to which to dance. Rue thought it great, and then pulled her aside to begin working on a routine. Meanwhile, Billy went over his with the boys, everyone hitching some ideas into the routine. They worked for a good two hours, went to breakfast, and then went back to work some more. By this time, they were almost alone, and Billy brought back a music player for his routine, so that Ahiru could use his laptop for her work. They went to opposite sides of the room, and rehearsed. Billy was dancing to Bach's _Little Fugue in G minor._ Ahiru began to watch him while she took five minutes to catch her breath. Rue had helped her string a routine together, beginning with basic moves, and then stringing a sensible order of steps, from easy to harder and harder as things progressed. Now she was watching the other three boys working, but she paid special attention to Billy. He seemed to bringing the Tutu side of her out all right, but… There was a warm feeling she began to get whenever he was around. He was open, not judgmental, really wanted to show her the world, and he seemed to have an enjoyment for everything that he did, even in the smallest of things. There was something attractive about him in a way that she had never felt in a boy before. It wasn't just that he was physically attractive, but it was that he seemed to have a genuine care in his heart for people, was tender, and yet showed strength beyond his years. At first, she just wanted to consider him just a friend. However, he now seemed more than just that. Was she moving too fast? She wanted to get to know him better, and this was something within which he was willing to help. "Ahiru, let's go over it one more time: you seem to have it, I just…" Rue said, and then stopped herself, noticing the way she was staring. "Ahiru," Rue said, in a singsong kind of way, and snapped her fingers before her eyes. Ahiru shook, and shook her head in shock. "Welcome back," said Rue, "You two can flirt at lunch! Meanwhile, let's get back to it."

"I'm sorry, Rue-chan," said Ahiru, now quite red-faced, and she began the routine again. It was about this time that Mr. Katt came in. At that moment, the other four suddenly remembered that they had not warned Billy about Mr. Katt. No one knows quite how or why, but Mr. Katt was Anthropomorphism. He was a cat, but the size of a human, and stood on his hind legs…most of the time. He wore a green shirt, grey tights, and white dance slippers. He had come in to work himself, and did not know that there were still students in the room. However, he was quite pleased to see that it was Ahiru doing most of the dancing. He had hoped that she would advance, and he was very happy to see that she was doing what she could to make it happen. "Ah, very good, Ahiru," he said, "If you can do that tomorrow before the board, I know you will go the advanced level. If not…YOU WILL HAVE TO MARRY ME!"

Ahiru stood stiff, and then Rue said, "Don't worry sir: she'll be ready."

He quickly composed himself, and then turned his attention to Billy. What surprised the others was that Billy didn't seemed put off by the appearance of Mr. Katt. That was something they would have to find out later. Billy extended a hand to his paw, and Mr. Katt said, "And you are which student?"

"Billy Batson, sir," answered Billy.

"I see you are working on a variation as well."

"Yes, sir: I'm trying for the intermediate level as well."

"I also hear your choice of music—an excellent choice."

"I was kind of hoping I could use something contemporary, but I heard that this was frowned upon here."

"Not necessarily, Mr. Batson," Mr. Katt corrected, "It's just that we believe that we have to learn it in the classical sense first, so that our skills will be honed by the time we leave here and learn things like that."

"So, what you are saying is that the contemporary form is lazy?"

"Well, the music doesn't lend to…" but Billy interrupted, "I'm going to prove you wrong!"

With that, Billy went over to his laptop, and brought up a different rack of music. Everyone was shocked. No one had ever challenged Mr. Katt like that before. Now, they were all worried that he was about to get himself thrown out of school. The music was by Queen—a song entitled _Rock it, (Prime Jive.)_ Once the music started, he began to go into a variation that almost seemed like a tryout for the intermediate level itself. It was a very lively routine, full of spins and jumps, but not one move was sloppy or loose. It was all tight, as if he were dancing to Mozart. When he had finished, there was silence. No one knew how to react, because Mr. Katt just stood there, watching. However, Ahiru was mesmerized. She didn't know that that style of music could be danced to like that. She loved it, but wondered if it would seem out of place for Tutu to dance to something like that. She could not help herself, and began to applaud. The others hesitated at first, and then applauded as well. Mr. Katt surprised everyone as well, and began to applaud. "So, you liked it?" asked Billy, "I did this for my dance class before I came here."

"Billy, I would have to say that you have proven **me** wrong, however, the general board would take some more convincing," said Mr. Katt, "However, I would say that, if you dance to the classic style tomorrow just as well, entering the intermediate class would be no problem for you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, sir," said Billy. Mr. Katt then said, "Well, it is getting late, and you need to get ready for lunch and registration, so, if you could please take your leave, because now I need to practice. I may be your teacher, but that means I have to do this that much more: I cannot have any of you surpassing me."

He chuckled, as did the rest, and they went off to their respective locker rooms to shower and change.

After lunch, they registered, and went to the bookstore to pick up their text. At this time, Ahiru had caught up with Billy, and they talked as they sought out their books. "Wow! I never saw dancing like that before," she said, "How were you able to learn that?"

"My old instructor felt that we needed a variety," answered Billy, "He felt that, the more we were exposed to, the more interested in the dance we would be."

"That's sure not the way they think here," she sighed.

"I think that this is because I was going to a private dance studio, paying for lessons. I guess they have to keep their students interested, or else they will lose their business. Here, we are kind of a captive audience: we have to be there."

Ahiru reasoned that this was logical, and then asked, "So, why were you not surprised at the way Mr. Katt looked?"

"I have a friend named Mr. Tawny," said Billy, "He is a tiger. Whatever it was that caused him to be like Mr. Katt is what caused Mr. Katt to be what he is. Believe me; I have seen enough strange things in my time to the point where not much surprises me."

At this, Billy went into the clothing section, because the school was a uniformed school. The girls wore short, gray skirts, white blouses with string ties, and a gray women's topcoat. The boys wore white shoes, trousers, a blue sports jacket with white shirt, and tie. Billy wasn't too fond of the concept of uniforms, but he took it in stride, figuring that he didn't want to upset the boat too much. After they left, they chatted about some general things as they passed by a work site. It was a paint crew on some rickety looking scaffolding, working on the fourth story ledges of the main education building. However, one of the support beams gave way, and the four gentlemen on top grabbed onto the falling scaffolding, and they were dangling at the top, with the portion they were holding onto bent a 45-degree angle, and it looked like it was ready to give way. Girls screamed, as people scrambled to get out of the way. Ahiru suddenly wished that she could be Tutu now, but Billy shouted, "I know where there is help!" and he took off. When he was out of sight, he ducked into an alley and shouted, "SHAZAM!"

Lightning came out of nowhere and struck Billy squarely. However, it did not harm him. Instead, and incredible transformation took place. People heard the clap, but did not investigate because of what was in front of them. There was a panic in what to do, because no one dared climb on the scaffolding, lest anyone cause it to crash down. Before anyone could go further, though, a reddish streak flew in out of nowhere, and in a blur, began to pluck the workers off the scaffolding. The stranger asked, "Is everyone okay?" but in that second, the tilted portion of scaffolding broke off, and began to fall. However, the stranger quickly flew up, caught it, and set it down out of harm's way."

Everyone was now applauding the stranger, who was now turning his attention back to the workers, seeing if they were all right. He wore a red, side-button shirt, with a golden lightning bolt on the front, red tights, a golden sash around his waist, gold swashbuckler styled boots that folded down to below his mid-calf, golden bracers, and a high collar and waist long white cloak, trimmed in gold, with flower patterns formed by gold string just inside the gold trim. He was about 6' 2", looked like he weighed 275 lbs., all pure muscle, with black, wavy hair slicked back, and prominent, though not bushy, thick eyebrows. He looked ruggedly handsome. She approached, and heard some of the conversation, "Thank God you showed up when you did, Captain Marvel," said one worker.

"Yeah, we would have been sunk for sure if you hadn't of showed up," said another.

"Well, I'm just glad I could help, fellas," said Captain Marvel, in a rich, baritone voice. With that, he shook their hands, and then spied Ahiru watching the whole scene, smiled at her, and winked, as he flew away. Ahiru then started to head back to her dorm shaken by all that had happened. She knew she could have helped, if only Tutu had not been taken from her. If it had not been for this "Captain Marvel," (whom she had heard stories about, but had never seen,) she would have seen four men become badly hurt, or worse. She never felt so helpless in her life then what she felt at that moment. She was sad at first, but then, became enraged. She wanted to do something, and could not, and then here comes someone who was what she had been—a superhero—and saves the day. What if he had not shown up? It was just too much to take. She heard another thunderclap, and began to wonder if it was now going to rain on her. "Fitting," she said, enraged, "Wouldn't it be just fitting to get caught in the rain now?"

She threw everything down on the ground and tore off. Billy was just showing up when he saw this, and said, "Baby duck, wait!"

Something was terribly wrong. He quickly collected all her school supplies, and started to look for the others. They needed to find her before she got hurt.

At that moment, the other three were walking up, and saw Billy picking up some things off the ground. He then turned to look at them, and said, "Thank God you're here! Its Ahiru: when I was walking up, I saw her scream, throw all her things, and run off!"

"Oh God," said Rue, "this is not good! There is no telling what is wrong. When did this happen?"

"It was not long after Captain Marvel saved those four men, and took off," answered Billy. To Rue, that only meant one thing: it had something to do with Tutu, and her inability to be her one-time alter ego once again. Fakir said, "Okay, Mytho and I will start searching the back woods area of the school. Rue, you take her things back to her room and then catch up."

Billy then said, "I think I can flag Captain Marvel down: he may not have gotten far. If I find him, I will send him to you. Then I will wait for you guys. If she doesn't show back up after a certain time, I will tell the school officials, so we can form a search party."

"Sounds like a good idea, Billy," said Fakir, "Then let's get to it!"

With that, they all broke up, and went to do their tasks. However, Billy went into a place where he could do his change again, thinking, "Looks like Captain Marvel isn't done for today."

He then shouted, "SHAZAM!" and made the change. He was then off like a shot to the woods, to find Ahiru before it got dark, and find out what was wrong with his Baby Duck.

The back woods behind the school were often used by the art students for landscape panting and sketching, so there were several trails through the woods. However, Ahiru was quite enraged, so she was not really paying attention to the trails, or to where she was going. She only really went back there to blow off some steam, but did not realize how lost she was making herself. She was throwing rocks and picking up fallen limbs, smashing them against trees and boulders. The whole time she was screaming at the top of her lungs and crying. "This isn't fair! I wanted to do something! I wanted to help! I do not want to be Tutu for me; I want to be Tutu for everyone else! Why were you taken from me! Waah!"

She finally collapsed into a fetal position, completely spent, and lay there in a fetal position, weeping and repeating over and over again, "Why? Why? Why did this have to happen? It's not fair! It's not fair! Ahhh!"

Captain Marvel was already airborne, soaring over the woods, hoping to catch sight of her. His hearing was not as good as Superman's was, but it was much better then the average mortal. This is how he noticed the crying that he was hearing. She was quite off the trail, and, if they had not set out to search for her, they may never have found her. In truth, they were not far from school, but they were situated in such a fashion that one could become quickly disoriented, and lost, though help only sat about a mile away. He circled once, and then found the others. He landed in front of them, startling the group. "Oops, sorry kids," said Captain Marvel in an assuring way, "I didn't mean to startle you."

"So, you're the famous Captain Marvel," said Fakir, "I must say that this is a pleasure. I did not know that you would have time for this kind of thing."

"That's what I do: if anyone is in trouble, and I know about it, I will bend over backwards to insure a good outcome if I can. As a member of the Justice League, I am obligated to help anyone in need—even if it is a cat caught up a tree!" At this, he flashed his characteristic Pepsident grin, which set everyone at ease. This superhero was quite approachable. "Anyway, I came down to say that I have found her," he said, getting back to business, "and I would say that she is not exactly in the best state of mind. She's laying in a fetal position, crying her eyes out."

Rue closed her eyes, looked down, and shuddered. "She just hasn't gotten over it," she thought, "I don't know if she ever will."

"Just follow me, kids, and I will fly overhead and guide you," said Captain Marvel. With that, he took off, and the others followed.

When they arrived, she now laid quiet, softly sobbing, and weeping, now too spent even to cry anymore. Captain Marvel didn't even know what to say at this sight. Rue softly approached, talking quietly, "Ahiru, it's us. We've come to take you back. You'll be all right. We are going to stay with you as long as you need. Look, even Captain Marvel was concerned enough to come."

At this, Ahiru slowly began to rise up, with hair and dirt matted to spots on her face by her tears. She herself was now covered with the debris on the forest floor. She saw her friends, and then turned her head to see Captain Marvel kneeling about five feet away from her, with a gentle grin on his face. Despite her state of mind, it struck her as interesting that the look on his face and in those gentle eyes were quite familiar. "You…you actually came to find me?" Ahiru said, still sobbing a little.

"Your friends were concerned. They really do care about you," answered Captain Marvel.

"Where's Billy," she then asked.

"He's back at the school, waiting for you to return. He wanted to be there in case you came back," said Captain Marvel. He then thought, and said, "What's wrong? Why did you run away?"

She tried to speak, but then, she just started another fit of weeping. Only this time, her friends got her in a group hug, and they all tried to reassure her, trying to show as much love as they could. She kept repeating, "I want her back. I want another chance."

"Another chance at what?" asked Captain Marvel.

"Billy, this nice boy at school," she managed to choke out, "he makes me believe in myself, and makes me see something as more than a clumsy girl with few friends."

"Wow," thought Captain Marvel, "I didn't know that she was that taken with me!"

She continued, "But I had something great once, something which I used to help people, and it brought me so much peace and joy. It's gone, but I want it again…I WANT IT AGAIN."

At this, she buried her head into the chest of Rue, and started to bawl again. Rue felt she owed the Captain some kind of an explanation, but she was also careful not to reveal more than necessary. Rue said, "You see, there was," she paused, searching for the right words, "…a situation—I guess you could call it that—where she was granted some…some endowments to where she was able to put herself out on a limb for some people, and rescued a few people from some grave danger. Unfortunately, to do this, she had to sacrifice those endowments. She wants to have them again, and she has been trying to put it behind her, and go on. However…please forgive me if this sounds like I am blaming you for anything, but I know that this was not your fault. When she saw you in action, I think it opened up some pent up frustration."

Captain Marvel put some thought to it, and said, "You almost make it sound like she was acting as a superhero."

"Well, in the great lengths that she went for some people and for us three here, she might as well have been," answered Rue.

"You know, I think I might know how she feels," responded Captain Marvel.

At that, Ahiru looked up in surprise at that response, and then said, "But how could you know? You're Captain Marvel."

"That's right, but, I am also called the world's mightiest mortal—emphasis on the "mortal" part. That means that, though I have been blessed with great power, it does not mean that I can help everyone. There have been many times where me, and my colleagues, have had situations where we could do nothing but just stand and watch the situation unfold. The end for some people was not pretty, and there are times a feel a pang in my heart for those I wished I could have helped, and could not."

"How do you deal with it?" she asked, now genuinely interested.

"You just have to turn it into something else," he answered, "What I do is make sure that I learn from what happened, and try that much harder the next time, so that it doesn't happen again. You can't help them all, but you help who you can."

This seemed to help calm her. However, she did reason, "Well, okay, but," she paused, and bit her lip, and then continued, "But at least you stay Captain Marvel. I can't be who I was anymore, and help again as I did. Oh, I whish I could have it back!"

Her face then dropped, and she looked down on the ground. It was then Captain Marvel heard a familiar voice—one only he could hear. "My son," it said, "Bring them home, and then come to me. I think I need to make it clear what is going on here, since they are not sure if they can trust you with the whole truth. I will then tell you what I would like to do, not just for the young girl, but for all four of them."

It was the spirit of the old wizard Shazam. If he wanted to see Captain Marvel, this had to be important. With that, he said, "Say, Ahiru, how would you like me to fly you back! Wouldn't that be neat?"

She brightened up a bit, "Really?"

"Sure," he said, "I'd do it for any superhero like you!"

"Superhero?" said Ahiru, "I'm not a superhero."

"Apparently you were enough to these people that they loved you enough to find you," assured Captain Marvel, "And if you have made their lives better that much, you're one in my book! You don't have to be me, Superman, or a Wonder Woman to be a superhero. Just be enough of one to the people around you, and you can make a difference."

At that, he extended his hand to her, and she took it. The others told her that they would meet her back at the dorms, and Captain Marvel told her that he would send Billy to her as soon as he could. He then cradled her, and gently took off, flying towards the school.

Once back at the school, he landed directly on the steps so as not to draw too much attention. However, the Resident Director saw her condition, and came out to ask what the problem was. Before she could speak, the captain said, "Its okay, she just went for a walk, got a little lost, panicked a bit, and then fell asleep in the woods. That is why she looks the way she does. She just wants to shower now, and get a rest: you know, get her things ready for class tomorrow."

At this, the RD sighed a sigh of relief, and then chuckled a bit, and said, "Come on, honey: let's get you inside and cleaned up! You've got to stay on the trail, because you can get so easily disorientated…"

The conversation trailed off as they went inside and the door closed. Then, Captain Marvel remembered what Shazam had told him, and he immediately took off like a bolt of lightning to the Rock of Eternity. It did not matter if any time were taken to get there. Once there, he could return just moments after he left, as if he had never gone. The Rock itself sat beyond our dimension, and could only be reached by an act of Shazam, or physically only by Captain Marvel or Black Adam. When he arrived, Shazam was very pleased to see his protégé, and welcomed him warmly. Once done, Captain Marvel wasted no time in getting down to business. "Well, if you called me here, it must be important," reasoned Marvel, "Does it involve the new friends that I have made at the school?"

"Very much so," said Shazam, "I have been watching your interactions since you started going to this school, and it is amazing how fate plays her hand."

"I don't think I understand," said Marvel.

"Well, I must tell you now that your new friends all bear certain secrets that have been affecting them since their adventures only the year before. There is nothing bad, really, but, in truth, what had happened to them truly left its mark upon them."

"What happened, then?"

Shazam then began to spell out the story to him in every detail. He even provided visuals as the story progressed. Once the wizard was done, Marvel could not believe it. When Ahiru spoke of being a super heroine, she meant it quite literally. Shazam then said, "So, I think you can see what has been tormenting Ahiru, yes?"

Saddened, he said, "I sure can."

"And what do you think?"

"I think that I might have reacted the same way if I had been allowed to be Captain Marvel for only a few months, and then had it stripped away from me."

"Now, compound that with Ahiru being a 13-year old girl, just coming of age, and trying to find her place in the world."

"Ouch!" said Marvel, not knowing what else to say. After thinking for a second, he then asked, "So, why isn't Rue acting the same way?"

"That," answered Shazam, "Is due to pure unadulterated fear. She covers it well, but she fears what she once was. Unlike Ahiru, who had to sacrifice her alter ego to save the day, so to speak, she gave things up voluntarily. She felt that her power was evil; however, she did not stay that way. In fact, what Black Adam was to you before he turned, Princess Kraehe was to Princess Tutu. Also similar was her turn to good. However, it is sad that she gave things up, because she could have done the world some good. Furthermore, if Tutu had ever remained, or were ever to return, having an older sister would be beneficial to her. Tutu has enough about her that she could lead, but good sisterly advice is always good to have, kind of, like how Superman is to you. The problem is that she fears that she may become evil again, and she does not want to risk everything she now holds dear on that. With that, let me give you a rundown on all their abilities. Let us start with Tutu.

"Princess Tutu, as you saw, is a magical ballerina princess—a swan princess. All her physical capabilities are enhanced beyond normal. I would say that she has double the strength, agility, and endurance of the average person. By her dance, she can affect plant life, for which she can use to create nets, walls, ropes to climb, thick beds of flowers to cushion falls, and traps. She does not like to fight, and more uses these things as defensive things: for herself, and for others. She also has the ability to tap into people's hearts. In other words, if she can entice them into dancing with her, she can calm even the most savage of hearts, and find the source of their rage to help them cope with it, and gain a victory over it. This is her most effective weapon, in that; some villains may end up surrendering their lives of evil by this. Princess Kraehe, however, is the same in physical attributes, yet, quite offensive in her skills. She can affect the wind around her to create a whirlwind, create the same things in plant life as Tutu, but often uses them more offensively. She can also conjure up black feathers whenever she needs them, and use them like darts. She does fight, and uses ballet in much the same way that you use Tai Chi. However, because this represented a side of Rue that does not exist any longer, I wish to change that a bit. Instead of a raven princess, I am going to replace that with a swan princess: from Kraehe to Claire, the Black Swan."

"What do you mean, 'replace'?" interjected Marvel.

"I shall state that in a moment," He answered, "However, I wish to deal with the boys as well. Mytho is an empath: he can sense feelings and emotions. He gained this when he had his heart restored, lent some of his healing power to Ahiru long enough to be Princess Tutu once more, and escape the hand of their foe. He can heal as well, although it is limited. He cannot bring someone back to life, although he can do enough to a mortal wound to prevent it from being mortal. That is the limit to his healing ability. In addition, he is an expert swordsman, and he is very good in a fight. His hand-to-hand skills lack a bit, though, and maybe you could do something about it. The same goes for Fakir. He is like a 'Batman,' in that, he has no powers, but he is a physical specimen and a great fighter. He also lacks a bit in hand-to hand, yet, he has enough athleticism to make up for any lack. However, I am sure you could help with that as well. He is also quite alert and observant: a great detective."

"So…now that you have shown me this, what is your intent, if I may ask?" said Marvel. As soon as he said that, a panel opened up in a wall, revealing two mannequins, each one wearing some kind of late medieval\early renaissance outfit, with the addition of a pair of cowls that opened up just above the nose. One had a white cowl, a blue tunic with gold trim, white tights, and blue Robin Hood-style shoes, with a matching waist cloak of blue, with a white underside. The other was a black cowl, with a black tunic with gold trim, gray tights, and black riding boots, with matching black waist cloak, and a gray underside. Shazam then spoke, and said, "My intent is to give all of them the same kind of chance that I presented you. They are in torment about how things could have been, some more than others, and that bothered me, especially Ahiru. If something is not done, she just might go insane! This is something Rue cannot understand, because she acts as if she does not want to be what she was again, yet truly desires it. She tries to stifle the feelings in Ahiru, because she wants to stifle what she feels in herself. There is something else there, but I cannot make it out. I am not a mind reader, you know. Of course, if I offer the girls something, then I want to also have the boys involved, because there is safety in numbers."

With that, two jewel cases came out of another wall panel—one black and one dark pink. Shazam indicated that he wanted Captain Marvel to open them and take out the pendants. The dark pink case held an oval shaped dark pink jewel, with a gold trim, and two gold swan wings. It looked exactly like the pendant she had before, except that one had white wings, and was carbuncle in color. The other was a black jewel in gold trim. Then Shazam said, "Now, what I would like you to do is hold up the pendants aloft and speak my name. Then, with your super speed, release them and move out of the way of the bolt. Once they have passed, catch them, and put them back in the cases, please."

Captain Marvel did as he was bidden, and, after he caught them, he noticed something different about both. When they twisted in the light, one could barely detect the glint off a lighting bolt shaped like the one on Marvel's chest set inside each pendant. Once they were back in the box, Shazam then said, "Take the uniforms and package them up individually, and take the four parchment letters and put them with the items. The black suit is Fakir's, so that you will know which letter to put with what costume. I want you to arrive about 20 to 25 minutes after you returned, first present Ahiru with her pendant, and then present the others with the other items. Do so as Billy in the name of Captain Marvel, so, hopefully, they will not grow suspicious. They should be returning about the time Ahiru has gone back into her room."

"Please pardon my asking, but, why the rigmarole?" asked Marvel.

"I want Ahiru to be the first to receive her pendant, because Rue may instantly grow suspicious, and prevent Ahiru from taking the pendant. Ahiru will be the quickest to trust, and put on the pendant. She will be an influence on those that may not be so quick to accept things."

"Okay, I get how you want to do all this for them, and why. However, what is the ultimate goal?" inquired Marvel.

"To make them a team, of course!" Shazam said, happily.

"Where do I play in all this?"

"Join them!"

"I'm already a member of the Justice League."

"Yes, that is true. Yet, you are in that school right now, and they already know that your activities with the league are going to be limited. However, that does not mean that you cannot be part of a team where you are. Furthermore, I do not think the league would have a problem with some more allies. Thus, if this team should form, then you need to tell the league as soon as you can. When the first chance comes along, you need to have them meet the league, in order that the senior heroes may be able to impart some assistance in their growths as heroes. There is no end to the possibilities. Finally, if things work as I have been seeing them, there may even be further help coming, that is, if things work out. Remember, my affairs with your world are limited, and I can only act myself in rare cases, and I can act through you. It is only in rare cases that I can act myself. Therefore, I cannot orchestrate events. I would not wish to. Yet, I do like being able to help where I can. Remember: I was like you once! Thus, to be a hero through you to someone else from time to time is quite enjoyable. Now, hurry on: there are great events to come, great dangers to face, and a world to help make a better place to live."

With that, Captain Marvel took his leave, and returned to the school.

The other three were nearing the front gate of the wall that enclosed the school, and they were discussing what had just happened. "I cannot stop her from wanting to be Tutu," said Rue, frustrated.

"Why would you want to stop that?" said Mytho, "I sense much conflict in you."

"Oh, thank you for your insight, O great Jedi master," mocked Rue.

"Enough, you two," said Fakir, "I think that there could be some serious problems here. I am wondering just how scarred the poor girl is by the whole affair. All it took was for her to see a situation where she could have helped, but then be able to do nothing, to set her off."

"That, I think, was compounded by the sight of Captain Marvel," interjected Mytho.

"Yes, that is a bit of a problem," added Rue.

"How do we stop that?" queried Fakir, "Consider the fact that Captain Marvel patrols Fawcett City, and that place sits only 20 miles from here. It would not be hard for him to come here from time to time. That will keep happening and happening."

"Well, short of her becoming Princess Tutu again, there is not much that we can do," said Mytho, "I fear for her sanity."

As if an answer to this, this was about the time Captain Marvel returned with the care package, returned to being Billy, and went to the girl's dorm where Ahiru stayed. He entered the building, and went to the desk where the Resident Director was sitting. "Excuse me," he said, "I am looking for Ahiru Arima."  
"Why would you like to see her?" she said.

"Tell her that I have a package for her," he said, raising the jewel case. The RD smiled, and said, "How sweet of you: school has barely begun, and she already has a sweetheart."

Billy turned red at this, and said, "Well…um…could you please get her?" all embarrassed.

She said, "Well, I don't think that would be a good thing at this time. She just got back, and she was lost in the woods, and was quite upset."

"Well, could you at least give her this and this letter?" Billy said, setting the two on the desk. She smiled again, and said, "That, I can do. I will take it up to her right now. Maybe it will bring up her spirits. And from whom should I say that this is from?"

"Billy Batson," said Billy, "and I do hope it does cheer her up. Have a good day, now!"

With that, he took his leave. The RD then opened up the jewel case, just to be sure that there was nothing in there that should not be, and saw the pendant. "Oh, that is a pretty pendant; I'm sure that this will cheer her up," she said, and took it, and the letter, up to her room.

Just as Billy exited the building, he encountered the other three, and said, "Great, I found you guys."  
"I assume you went to see Ahiru," said Mytho, "Is she okay?"

"The RD said that she was a bit shook up," said Billy, "but she should be okay. Besides that, I have something for all three of you from Captain Marvel."

All three looked askance at this, and then approached as Billy descended the stoop before the girl's dorm. He handed a box to each male, and then handed a jewel case with a parchment letter to Rue. "He told me that there were specific things that you need to do," said Billy, "You were to go back to your rooms, and open the letters privately. The letters for you two, (referring to Mytho and Fakir,) are on the top of the boxes. He said that there were good things coming with this, depending on how you respond to the letters…whatever that means. Anyway, there you go. My job is done here, I must move along: I am only the messenger."

After they said their good-byes, the three boys went to their dorm, and Rue went up to her room. Rue, Mytho, and Fakir were all not sure where this was going, but Mytho figured that, if it came from Captain Marvel, then it must be something good. Meanwhile, the RD was at Ahiru's door, just as she had exited the shower. She, in her bathrobe, opened the door, and said, "Hi, ma'am, can I help you?"

"Yes," she said, "A young man just gave me this letter and jewel case: one Billy Batson, I believe. Do you know him?"

Ahiru's face brightened a bit, and said, "Yes, he is a friend of mine. What is it?"

"Well, if I told you that, it might ruin the surprise," said the RD brightly, "Go on in now, and tell me later what happens."

With that, she took her leave. Of course, her two roommates were on her quickly, begging to know what the whole thing was about. "Oh, let me see," said Yuma.

"Is it from that boy you talked to?" asked Mai.

"Quit mobbing me!" demanded Ahiru, "I'll show you here in a second."

She set down the letter, and opened the case. The other two gushed over the pretty pendant in the case, but Ahiru was a bit shook by what she saw. It looked almost exactly like the pendant Edel had given her, except for the color and trim. She set down the case and went to the letter, upon the envelope of which was written, "To be read in private."

She then set the letter back down, realizing that the other two were looking over her shoulder, hoping to find out what was in the letter. Ahiru said, "Do you mind?" and then smiled curtly, and said, "It says, 'To be read in private.'"

"Aw, no fair!" they both said, "Tell us!"

"Look, I'll tell you later," said Ahiru, "Can I just get a little privacy?"

"Well, love, you can at least tell us about this Billy," said Yuma, "What do you know about him? Do you like him?"

Ahiru did not know what to answer. She said, "I just met him. Give me a chance to get to know him better. I'll tell you when I get more."

"C'mon, Yuma," said Mai, "Let's go to the student union, so old 'lover girl' here can have her little fantasy," in a teasing way. Ahiru then stuck out her tongue, smiled, and said, "You're just jealous because a boy is already talking to me, and you're still looking."

"Not for long, if I have my way, love," said Yuma coquettishly. They all laughed, as the other two headed out. With that, Ahiru turned to the jewel case, and pulled out the pendant. It was pretty. However, this was the first time she noticed what was inside. Depending on how one turned the jewel in the light, one could notice a barely detectable golden lightning bolt inside the jewel, much like the one Captain Marvel had on his chest. She then nonchalantly put it on, thinking nothing of it, and then proceeded to open the letter. When she did, it was not from Billy, as she expected. It said, "Greetings, Ahiru. This is your great day of fortune."

"That's odd," she thought, "This is definitely not Billy."

She continued to read, "I am the spirit of the great wizard Shazam. I am the mentor of Captain Marvel, and the one who bestowed upon him his fantastic abilities. Because of your association with him, I have been able to see your plight, and have been able to research your history. I have seen your tears, and I now understand your distress over the matter. You were settled in your mind to go back to what you were when you succeeded in your mission as Princess Tutu…"

She stopped, startled over what she just read. How did he know about Tutu? Well, he had just said that he researched her case. Yet, how was he able to find out that much? She shook her head, and continued to read, "…and did not seek any further. You said, 'If I could just return his smile to him, (referring to Mytho,) then I would be happy, and not need anything else.'

The problem with that is this: what you became was far more powerful than you realize, and something that affected you beyond your perception. This was something you could not walk away from, because what you became was only yourself quite enhanced. All the previous pendant did was bring out your deepest desires to help people, and be a prima ballerina, and added some gifts with it to aid you in your mission. You are Tutu, and Tutu is you: this has always been. However, now, Tutu has been locked back inside you, and she begs for release. Once one has tasted of such things, it is hard to return to a 'normal' life. Besides all this, there is a universal law that applies to all people and all nations: the law of sowing and reaping. Some call it kismet, some call it karma, some say, 'What goes around comes around,' but it all means the same thing. Whatever you do comes back to you in spades. If one sows bad things, then worse returns to you. If you sow good things, you reap a great reward. You made quite a noble sacrifice, in that; you were quite willing to cease being Tutu if it meant the safety of others. You did not even see your own life as valuable compared to the safety of your friends. Such a noble heart does not deserve to go back into obscurity. A heart like that is needed in this world sick with evil. Cinderella was content with going back to the way things were after the ball, because she received all that she had asked for, and sought for nothing more. However, by this simple attitude, she showed she was worthy of, and deserved, far greater than that for which she settled. As a result, she became a princess, married her handsome prince, and those that sought to do her evil reaped their rewards by having their eyes poked out by the birds. You have shown that you are worthy, and deserve, more than you got. I wish to rectify this. Billy once spoke to you of having that one chance, and I shall provide it here. The pendant has the ability for you to become your alter ego once again…"

Her hands began to tremble, and she found it hard to read further. Was it true? Was this some cruel joke? It could not be, because Billy has no clue about any of this. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down, and continued to read, "…if you should choose to accept this. It is, of course, all your choice. You do not have to accept this. If you care not to, then just return the case to Billy, and he will know what to do with it. Yet, I would ponder long and hard before refusing this chance. Remember, (as I do believe the saying goes,) when opportunity knocks, you had better be at home. To activate, all you have to do is hold the pendant to your heart with your right hand, and imagine yourself as Princess Tutu. The rest will take care of itself. To go back, just do the same, except see you as Ahiru. I hope that you do accept this, for I know that you can do this world some good. Yours in the service of justice, Shazam."

She folded the letter, not sure what to do next. Was this a dream? She pinched herself, and she indeed was not dreaming. She then walked over to the full-length mirror that was in all the rooms, and looked at her self. Her hand went slowly, and trembling, to the pendant. Her hand hovered over it for a brief moment, as she swallowed hard, not sure if she should even try this. Then, with the attitude of, "What do I have to lose," she snatched it quickly, and thumped her fist to her heart as she concentrated hard on Tutu. With that, her body began to glow with a golden color as she lifted off the floor. Yellow feathers surrounded her, forming a golden egg, which was not so much an egg as it was a chrysalis: for it turned clear revealing Tutu in a fetal position. It dissolved from top to bottom, much like a soap bubble. When it did, Princess Tutu emerged, fully erect, feet in the first position, arms straight above her head, one hand over another. She then settled on the floor, and brought her arms down to her side. No longer was the awkward 13-year old girl standing there, but a beautiful 19-year old woman: more than likely what she would look like at that age. Everything had been the same as before, except for a couple of changes. She now wore a drop-shoulder tutu, with the same puffy sleeves. In addition to this, there was a dark pink half-face mask, reminiscent of something out of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, complete with three white feathers that fanned out of the top. She wondered over the changes, and then remembered that she had toyed with the idea of altering the outfit a bit, but then balked at it, not knowing how to make the changes, and then have them stick later when she changed again. However, this was just right for her, and she loved it. Remembering what Shazam had said about Ahiru envisioning herself as a prima one day, she then realized that this was indeed what she may look like later on in life, and thus, the mask made sense. Along with the change, she also felt in her mind the maturity that would accompany that age, just as she had before. She did a couple of pirouettes and grand fouettes with ease, and knew that this was for real. She did a quick cabriolet with glee, and went to find Rue. She opened the door, looked around to ensure no one was looking, and went to find Rue.

Meanwhile, in the boy's dorm, Mytho, Billy, and Fakir entered their rooms, and Billy went over to the organ, and put on his headphones. However, Mytho said, "No, Billy, it is okay; I would like to hear some music."

"Okay," Billy said, and proceeded to play something relaxing. The other two were curious about the whole thing, and did not hesitate to open the letters. Mytho's went like this, "Greetings Mytho, the great knight prince."

He immediately started to look for Charon's name or signature, considering that it had been written in German. Only he knew about such a name. When he could not find it, he pondered how this was possible that whoever wrote the letter knew. He then continued, "I am the spirit of the great wizard Shazam, mentor to Captain Marvel, and the one who bestowed upon him his great powers. If you have not already looked in the box, I would ask you to do so now."

With that, he opened the box, and saw the outfit inside. He pulled out the tunic, examined it briefly, and put it back. He then continued, "Because of the association you have had with Captain Marvel, and because of the situation that cause this, I have researched your past, and the past of your three friends, and I see that there is great potential for all of you to do some great good to the evil sick world. I am making similar offers to your friends, in hopes that, what they were, or are, would be brought to the fore, and you would be able to find it in yourselves to aid this world against evil and injustice. You are a healer, and empath, as well as an excellent fighter and swordsman. Your skills could come in handy, especially if your friends accept the offers that I have made, and you all work together. You, and your brother, are to me like two chess knights: one white and one black. You are the white knight. However, you are not obligated to accept this offer. If you do not, then merely return the package to Billy, and he will know what to do with it. However, please consider this: if your friends do take their respective offers, they would be greatly aided by your gifts and expertise. Please ponder this long and hard, and know that you can do the world some good. Yours in the service of justice, Shazam"

At the same time, Fakir was examining the contents of his package, and read, "I am the spirit of the great wizard Shazam, mentor to Captain Marvel, and the one who bestowed upon him his great powers. If you have not already looked in the box, I would ask you to do so now."

At this, he looked in to see the riding boots, tunic, and other items pertaining to what the wizard had given Marvel. The letter read the same as Mytho's, up to the point where Shazam dealt directly with Mytho. Here is where the message for Fakir begins, "You are a brave fighter, clever, and you never back down, no matter what dangers may face you. Such courage under fire would make you a great asset to your friends endeavors to fight evil and injustice wherever they may find it. You and your brother are like to chess knights to me. For me, you represent the black knight, and the two of you together would be a formidable pair for most villainy that walks the face of the earth. However, with you teamed up with your friends, and possibly Captain Marvel, you could this world a great amount of good. The uniforms that I have given you and your brother shall aid in this, as concealing your identities would be beneficial to you, (in that your private lives may be assaulted,) and those you love who would be attacked by vanquished foes who sought revenge. There is a grave danger that you have to face yet, that would fall under these lines. I have not yet told the others, as I feel it best to tell you, because you have the best ability to handle such news, and break it to the others without causing panic and irrational action. I think you know of what I speak. Therefore, there is safety in numbers, and your banding together at this time, with the right tools made available to you, may be able to vanquish this foe once and for all. However, you are under no obligation to accept this, and if you choose not this path, merely return this package to Billy. He will know what to do with it. Yet, know this: if your friends take the offer, they would be greatly aided by you. If they do not, know grave danger lies ahead, and Captain Marvel may not be able to do anything for you, for he is only one person, and he cannot be everywhere at once. Please think on this matter with the gravity it deserves, for your friends need you, and you can do this world some good. Yours in the service of justice, Shazam."

Both of them seemed to finish reading at the same time, and looked at each other, not knowing what to say. They then both looked a Billy. Even though his back was to them, and he was engrossed in his playing, Billy still felt the sensation like unto four eyes boring a hole through his back. He stopped playing, slowly came about, and saw the two of them staring at him. "Er…what's up, guys?" he asked.

"What do you know about this?" asked Fakir.

"I am not at liberty to say," answered Billy. Fakir narrowed his eyes, and asked, "Just what do you mean by that?"

"What I mean is, even if I wanted to say, I am not permitted," said Billy, "The old wizard that sent these has told me not to reveal anything that I may know until the right time. There are consequences to this for me."  
"What consequences," asked Fakir, now sounding frustrated.

"Consequences." said Billy firmly.

"Fakir," Mytho interjected, "He is not being defiant. Billy, why are you feeling so much fear right now?"

"Let's just say that something of value may be taken away from me if I disobey," he answered.

"Well, then," said Mytho, "You are going to tell us eventually, yes?"

"Eventually," answered Billy.

"Well, if he is going to tell us," Reasoned Mytho, "Then we must be patient, and await the right time. Right now, we must ponder if we would take this route. Tell us, Billy: how do we play into this?"

"I can say," answered Billy, "that Ahiru and Rue are being given a chance to be something they were, and could be aided by you."

"Tutu," Fakir said quietly, and under his breath, so as not to let Billy hear. However, Mytho was taking the outfit out of the package, and putting it on, saying, "Well, at least we can try them on. There is no harm in that is there?"

"I'm not sure about that, Mytho," said Fakir, "We don't know what could happen."

"Stop being so stoic," said Mytho, putting on the final touches, "Let me get the final piece."

Mytho took down the swan sword, and strapped it on. He then began to figure out what the slit on the cowl was for, and pulled his hair though it. It made his hair look like the shaggy mane of a horse. He then wheeled around, and looked at Fakir. "What do you think?" asked Mytho. Fakir answered, "You actually look a bit intimidating, for the first time in your life."

"Then, put yours on."

Seeing that nothing happened to Mytho, he put on his, and they looked at each other in the mirror. Fakir looked even more intimidating. The two of them together, however, looked like they could walk down any city street, and not worry about anyone saying anything about them, no matter how out of place they looked. Even if one tried, a good scowl from Fakir would have backed that one off. Billy added, "And, if you two did want to do this, me teaching you some Tai Chi wouldn't hurt."

"What do you think?" asked Mytho.

"Well," said Fakir, pulling off the cowl, "Let us wait and see what the girls have to say. I would say that, if they accepted, then, for their sakes, we should join them."

With that, they removed the costumes, and put them back into the box. They would wait until the next day to find out what happened with the girls.

At this point, Rue was picking up the jewel case and the letter to examine what she had been given. She set down the letter, and opened the case. She took one look at the contents, and then thrust the box down as if she were holding something quite hot. It looked exactly like the pendant Edel had given her. When she had originally lost it, she actually threw it away. This was during a time when she was making a play for Mytho's heart, when Tutu's feelings for Mytho were not quite settled. She loved him, but later realized that she did not love him in quite that way. Yet, at that moment, she was acting out of a strong love for Mytho. However, Rue also loved him, and in that way, and did not want to see him hurt. As Kraehe, she tried to prevent the heart shards from being returned, because she figured that, if they were not, then there would be no way that Edel, or the Raven would want to sacrifice him. Indeed, Rue had, at this point figured out what Edel's intentions were, and did what she could to resist. In the process, she had bewitched Mytho into saying that he hated Tutu, because she had convinced him that, to gain back his heart was not such a good thing, though he had said so to Tutu earlier. In this way, Rue could keep him to herself. At first, Tutu thought that she had done wrong. However, Fakir made it clear that she had been doing the right thing, and that, though he had not trusted her intentions at first, he now wanted her to succeed. She could not fail. When Tutu figured out what was happening, she knew the only way to break the spell was to show Mytho in a way greater than words that she needed him, and he needed his heart fully restored. She did this by performing a _pas de deux_—by herself! It was her increased strength as Tutu, (twice that of normal people,) that permitted her the ability to do such a task. Despite the strength, it was still quite difficult to do. Yet, she did it, in order to demonstrate that she needed him to support her, to strengthen her, and to guide her. Only someone with a heart like Mytho's could do her any justice. Seeing this display brought him around, and he went to her, apologizing for his harsh words. This was quickly forgiven, considering that he had said these things under duress. Rue now realized that, if she were going to win the heart of Mytho, there were better ways than hurting those that only had her best interest at heart: those who wanted to be her friends and love her. She had hurt them, and wished not to anymore. If she was to win the heart of Mytho, it was going to be because she had earned it, and shown love by her actions. It was then that she cast aside the pendant. Her demonstration started when she feigned a sprained ankle, and gave Ahiru the lead in _Swan Lake_ for the fall festival. In time, the two were rivals for the heart of Mytho. However, Ahiru realized that she really did not love him in that way. The first thing was the age difference. At that time, she had just turned 13, and he was now 17: quite a difference in all actuality. There was not much that they had in common in that way, though they were both teenagers of the same generation. For certain, they were solid friends because of what they, and the others, had been through together. Yet, yet, the chemistry was not there for more, and she was then content with that. She even confided in Rue about the situation, telling her that she would be happier if the two of them were together: they made a great couple. Rue, for one instant, felt the feeling of conquest, but then stopped herself, in that, Ahiru had done so because she loved Rue and Mytho, and wanted to see them happy. Tutu may have been gone, but her spirit lingered. She had tried to put Kraehe behind her, because she had no real motivation to be her again. Why be someone that hurts people. On the other hand, she had only done so thinking she was helping, and not hurting. She and Tutu had both wanted the same things, but they had just gone about it in their own ways. The difficulty in putting away Kraehe was compounded by Ahiru constantly making comment about Tutu, saying, "If I were Tutu, I would…" in many of her decisions. There was still something within her that desired to be Tutu again; because she knew that she could do people good better as Tutu. She was trying to be Tutu, but it was not quite working out. Because she was behaving like this, (throughout the school year, and later on during summer break in dance classes,) Rue found herself slipping, and making the occasional decision in the same manner as Ahiru. She could not understand why this was happening: she was not Kraehe, that is, this was not who she truly was. She had almost had the thing licked, and then this. This was not right. Maybe the letter could tell her something.

She opened the letter, and found it interesting that it was in her native Japanese. It read, "Greetings dearest Rue: I am the spirit of the great wizard Shazam, mentor to Captain Marvel, and he who provided him with his great powers. I am going to try to approach you in a different manner, because I have seen your skepticism towards your former alter ego. Because of your recent involvements with Captain Marvel, and over what they were about, I decided to look into the past to see what the source of the matter was. When it all became clear to me, I saw what kind of pain and distractions, to say the least, which this was causing. Knowing my love for justice, and the want to do good things that exists within your heart, and the hearts of your friends, I felt that there was a chance that the lot of you could work together towards that cause. Yet, I also know of the mistrust that you have towards yourself if you ever became Kraehe again. This is why what I offer you is a bit different from what I have offered the others. There is a good doing princess still within you that is begging for release. However, the evil streak that existed in you, and formed Kraehe, is no longer there. This brings up an important point. All the pendants did for you and Ahiru was to bring out of you two, in quite an enhanced way, what you truly were deep down in your hearts. Kraehe may have come from obsession and jealousy within you, yet, there was still something there that protruded love and care. It is this side of you that I wish to see come out of you. The pendant in the case you have before you now will transform you into something a bit different. No longer would you be Kraehe, the Raven Princess, you would now be Claire—the Black Swan Princess. You would be a compliment to Tutu, in that the each of you would be able to complete one another: each one could do that which the other is not capable. Of course, you are under no obligation to accept this. I can understand your great reluctance to accept jewels from people you do not know, especially because of the way you had been burned before. This is completely understandable. To activate, hold the pendant to your heart with your right hand, and imagine yourself as the Black Swan Princess. To change back, it is the same process. If you care not for this, please just return the case to Billy, and he will know what to do with it. However, please consider this: Ahiru will be far less reluctant to turn this down, and may have already accepted this gift. If you refuse, she will be without a guiding hand in matters that only you know how to provide. You two would be the Swan Sisters and a formidable foe for any villain. Therefore, please think hard before refusing. Yours in the service of justice, Shazam."

Now she was thoroughly confused as to what to do. This involved a hero like Captain Marvel, and yet, this Shazam wants to dig up something she was trying so hard to bury. She was just about to decide to give it back when there was a knock at the door.

When Rue opened the door, she turned three shades of white and maybe even minty green. There standing before her, although slightly different in dress, was Princess Tutu. There was no mistaking the red hair, and the amulet that now surrounded the pendant. "Ahiru, you didn't!" Rue exclaimed.

"What is wrong, Rue?" said Tutu, in Ahiru's voice, but more mature, and quite gentle, "You look like you have seen a ghost."

"I might as well have!" she said, quite surprised, "What are you doing? Get in here before someone sees you!"

Rue pulled her in quickly, and slammed the door, "What if someone saw you!"

"I am sorry, Rue," she said, slightly ashamed, "I just could not wait to tell you."

"You cannot, you just cannot take that thing!" Rue yelled, "Take that thing off and give it back!"

Tutu was shocked. "I do not understand you, Rue!" she said, "I have become what I truly am, and you are sad for me?"

"That's not the point!" Rue said, frustrated, "How do you know you're not getting played again?"

"This is from Captain Marvel's mentor," reasoned Tutu, "How can it be such a bad thing?"

Rue was very deliberate in her words at this point. She spoke slowly and clearly, "You…have…no…idea…where…that…really…came…from. How…do…you…know…you…can…trust…this?"

"I cannot believe you are acting like this, Rue," said Tutu, now very saddened, "How can you not understand how I feel about this?"

"The only reason you tried this is because you want to be Tutu so bad that you are willing to do anything. That is dangerous, young lady!"

"That is where you are wrong," said Tutu, now quite firmly, "The truth is, I have always been Tutu, and Tutu has always been Ahiru. The only difference is the fact that, by this, (pointing to the amulet,) I can now be myself in a fuller way than ever before. I want to do so much for people."

Tutu pondered for a minute, and then said, "Is it that you do not like this, or is it that you are letting your own fears spill over to others? What are you afraid of?"

That hit home with Rue. Now she did not know what to think. Then Tutu took the fifth position with her feet, extended her hands over her head, spun her hands—palm over back—over her head, and then lowered her right hand extended, palm up, and said, "I dance to guide your heart. Please, open your heart to me, Rue, and let me help you," Rue knowing that the gesture she just made meant, "Dance with me."

At this, Rue recoiled in horror, knowing what Tutu intended. She knew that, once their minds were linked, what was deepest in her heart would come forth, and that was something she was not willing to open up whatsoever. "Oh, no you don't," she said. With that, to get her point across, she took the ballet position that meant, "No."

"Rue, what is wrong with you?" asked Tutu, "You have conflicts, and I want to help you with them."

"Oh, sure you do," Rue said sarcastically, "And you want to manipulate my mind into putting that thing on. Oh, no you don't"

Tutu was now genuinely hurt, and said, "I do not believe that you would think that I would hurt you!"

"With our past, and knowing where all this started, I don't know what to trust," said Rue.

"Then," continued Tutu, "Let me help you," and she extended her palm again. Rue just stood there and stared. Tutu then took the first position, and said, dejectedly, "I shall not give up the pendant. I am who I am, and I shall not cease being that. You cannot make my choices for me. This is what I choose. You must choose for yourself. Yet, I am disappointed in you, Rue."

"Then get out! Get out, you fool!" snapped Rue, "Go and wreck your life! See how far this gets you! Do not ever look for advice from me again, because you won't get it! You think you're so smart now: go make it happen. Get out!"

From underneath the mask came a strong flow of hot tears. "I cannot believe you are acting like this!" said Tutu weeping, "I thought we were friends. I only wanted to help you as you helped me before. I feel so sorry for you."

With that, she turned about on her toes, opened the door, grabbed the amulet, and changed back to Ahiru before shutting the door. However, after she left, Rue stood there staring at the door for a good five minutes, and then broke down in tears, falling onto her bed wailing aloud over what just happened. She cried for Ahiru, but more for herself, that she could be so cruel to someone who had meant well, though she was misguided. However, things were about to happen that would change all of this.


	4. Chapter 4

**IV**

It was now about 11:30, and Billy had his headsets on while his roommates slept, working out some different tunes and skill drills, getting himself ready for his music tryouts the next day. These were not to get into the class, but to know where to put him as far as music classes went. He saw the clock, figured that it was about time to wrap it up, and turned off the organ. As he did, it was the first time that he heard the sirens blaring from the town nearby. He walked over to the window, and saw the bright glow of a fire coming from the direction of the town. Normally, he would have figured that the local fire department would be able to handle this, but the sirens were more than what he knew the local brigade had on hand. This gave him the first indicator of this being a multiple alarm fire. This, he could not ignore. However, it was too late for him to be out of the dorm, so he had to figure out how to handle this without being seen leaving. Then he remembered that the windows to the room all extended out a decent ledge, each one having their own small roof over it. Thus, he made sure that the coast was clear, and climbed out the window to the ledge, and then went onto the small roof, and uttered, "Shazam," and not yelling it, making sure not to draw undue attention more than what the lightning that struck him would do.

At that moment, Rue was in her room, still wearing her clothes, lying on her bed, having cried herself to sleep. The thunderclap awoke her in a shot. She sat confused for a few moments, considering that it was still light out when she had fallen asleep, and she was not aware that she had indeed fallen asleep until she woke up. She then heard the sirens coming from the town, and she went to her window to look. She saw the glow, and saw Captain Marvel flying off to the fire. At first, she figured that it must be serious, because Marvel was getting involved. Then she figured that he could handle things, and was about to get into a proper nightgown to go to sleep again, when a thought struck her. If Ahiru heard that thunderclap, or heard the sirens, she just might be curious enough to investigate, and then get it into her head to go as Tutu to do something about it. She knew that Tutu had powers enough to where she might be able to aid things. On the other hand, because she still did not entrust the pendants, she was afraid of what could happen. Now she had to act, but how? She knew she could not get past the front desk without being questioned, and then, what could she do if she were able to get there, or if she were able to intercept Tutu. It was then when she looked back at the pendant, knowing what she could be capable of as Kraehe, Claire, or whatever she would become if she used it. She cursed under her breath, stomped over to the pendant, put it on, and did as the letter had instructed. A whirlwind of black feathers and black mist swirled around her, engulfed her, and then dissolved away to reveal a new presence. She looked in the mirror, and saw an amazing sight. She was no longer 17, but 21 or so, and wearing exactly the same outfit which Tutu was wearing with the following exceptions: whatever was pink was dark gray, and whatever was white was black. Her hair, however, instead of being in a bun, was allowed to hang out from the feather ring straight, and shoulder length. She had to admit, she looked good! Yet, she couldn't think of that now, she had to get to the fire. She faced in the direction of the fire, and concentrated on transport. A black mist swirled around her, engulfed her, and when it faded, she was gone.

At the fire, the scene was not good. The fire fighters had all they could do to contain the fire to couple of buildings that were ablaze, attempting to keep it from spreading further. The entire bottom floor was in flashover, so the fire fighters could not even enter to fight it, nor could they get close enough to place rescue nets for people trapped on the second floor. At that moment, Captain Marvel arrived, plucking one after the other out of the burning building. Once everyone was safe, he went to the Fire Marshal to get a better idea of what happened in order to decide what to do next. The Fire Marshal told him that witnesses did not see anyone set the fire, nor was this something that built gradually, but that the fire burst up quickly in almost all points of the bottom floor growing into the fireball that it now was. The obvious thing was to get it under control before it collapsed the building, making things worse. At that moment, a swirl of black mist appeared, and when it disappeared, everyone was surprised to see a ballerina step forth that looked like she stepped straight out of a Mardi Gras parade. Seeing what was happening, she began to turn in a series of grand fouettes, causing a large dust devil to be kicked up, spinning in the opposite direction as she spun. When she had raised enough sand, she stopped, and motioned her hands forward. When she did, all the sand then flew into the fireball, instantly dampening the fire to the point where the fire fighters could then go in and douse the rest of the flame. Captain Marvel could not believe what he had just seen, but he was grateful nonetheless. He went over to talk to her, and said, "Thank you, I…" but he was cut short by the sound of creaking coming from the building. It was about to collapse. Like a shot, he went to where the main support beam was, and began to try to buoy up the building. He was slowing things, but other beams were beginning to go. At this, Claire pirouetted in fast succession, and black vines grew out of every point of the building where a support beam rested. She did this to the point where they grew thick enough to support the building outright. Of course, when Marvel saw the vines growing, he pulled away, making sure he did not become engulfed in the vines himself. He had a suspicion of who this was, but he needed to be sure, and so went to find out whom the mysterious stranger was that came in at the right time. As he approached, he began to recognize the person standing there, and gave a guess by addressing her. "Princess Kraehe, I presume?" asked Marvel.

"Yes," she said, halting in her speech, and then adding, "…and no. I am now Princess Claire, the Black Swan."

"So, I see you accepted the gift, then?" asked Marvel.

"In a sense…at least…for now anyway, darling," she said, very suavely.

"Well, I am glad you came," he responded, "Things could have been worse had you not came."

"I figured that, if you were involved, it had to be bad. I couldn't resist."

"Does that mean you've rejoined the world of the supers?" inquired Marvel.

"Just this once," she answered, "Had it been anything less, you would not have seen me. Anyway, it was good to be involved, even if for just one more time. I assume you know who I really am, considering how those 'gifts,' as you call them, came to us."

"Well, I have to admit, the Old Wizard had to make it clear to me, or else I may have botched the whole thing. But don't worry: your secret's safe with me."

"Glad to know it. I sense that you are the kind that would keep his word."

She then began to turn to leave, and then noticed a letter pegged to a nearby tree with an oversized raven's claw. This stiffened her a bit, and she then went over as subtly as she could so as not to draw attention to what she was doing. She took the letter, and stuffed it into her tutu. Then she turned and asked, "And is there any indicator as to what caused the fire?"

"I just got done talking to the Fire Marshal," answered Marvel "and he says it is one of the most mysterious things that he had ever seen. The fire ignited almost simultaneously, that is, it flared up in several sections within seconds of each other, and quickly engulfed the entire bottom floor. The local brigade seemed to get it under control quickly, but it was becoming harder and harder to control. This is why they called in a couple of Fawcett brigades."

Marvel thought for a minute, and then said, "I'll tell you what: I am going to get some ash samples from a few of the ignition points, and I have a friend who might be able to find more than the local constabulary can detect. If he finds anything, I will tell you if anything comes up—either directly, or by Billy. I won't tell him, as I didn't the other day, about why, because I am certain you want to conceal your identity."

"Thank you for your consideration," she answered, "Let me know of anything. I may not be coming back, but, there are those that may benefit from the information, and it may protect some lives."

"Well, even if you do not come back, your actions to protect your friends are indeed in line with any good superheroes. It's just a shame that you won't be joining our ranks. You could be a real asset."

"Thank you for the compliment. Ta-Ta, darling."

With that, she vanished the same way she had come. He, on the other hand, took off to the northeast. This "friend," more of a colleague, would be on patrol at this time. He just hoped that he could find him, considering how large Gotham was.

Meanwhile, Claire appeared in her room once more, changed back to Rue, took off the pendant, and placed it back in the jewel case. It shook her that she had done this, but it seemed to be the right thing at the time. She would not do it again. It would go back the first chance she could get to return it. She then took out the letter from what was now her shirt, and opened it. The claw let her know exactly whom it was from, and there was no mistaking it. It read, "I had to send this to you as soon as I knew you were on the scene, Kraehe. (By the way, nice new outfit.) Anyway, I am curious as to how you were able to do what you did, unless you were able to find the pendant. Still, whatever the case, I set the fire, and originally just to get your attention as Rue, and the others, and let you know that I have not gone away. I am quite alive and well, and looking for revenge. I also did it to show that there is nothing you, or anyone, can do to stop me. I shall have a pure heart to sacrifice, and I will tolerate no interference. Tell your friends, especially that ballet brat that you are to stay out of my way. Also, know that I am going to have my revenge as well. You all had better be looking over you shoulders constantly in fear, because I am gunning for all of you. You almost cost me my life with the Raven the last time, it took a little "coercion" on my part to gain mercy, and I am not happy with that. I, and his lordship, will dine on your entrails once this world is plunged into darkness, and I will enjoy tormenting the lot of you until that time. Remember: none at your school is safe. You are all pray to me. Yours Truly, Edel, the Raven Princess. P.S.: You tell that big red cheese to keep his nose out of this, and back in Fawcett City where he belongs. I will do worse to him if he tries to interfere."

Rue didn't know what she meant by "coercion," but she had her guesses. All she knew now was that there was now a great threat to the whole school. She looked at the jewel case again, and then shook her head. Although she knew that she might be able to do something about things, and that they were already in danger, there was something to be said about not stepping into harm's way. They would be in worse danger if they tried to interfere. She knew they were not really the superheroes that this Shazam felt them to be, and it would be better to let the true ones handle things. It would be better to let Captain Marvel handle this, for something like this would be more along his lines. She wasn't quite sure just how powerful he was, but she wondered what Edel could really do about him. She may not be quite aware how powerful he really is. One thing was certain: after the orientation and auditions, she would have to gather the others, tell them what had happened, convince them to give up these pipe dreams, and to concentrate on school while letting the captain handle things. She had to get to bed. She, and the other seniors in the advance class would be involved in the orientation, and they had been practicing hard with the short time that they had to do something special for orientation.

It was about 1 o'clock in the morning when Captain Marvel returned. He made sure things were clear, changed back, and climbed back into the room. He felt fortunate that he was able to find Robin right away, who was then able to direct him right to Batman. Once he found him, Marvel explained all that had been going on, what he had just been doing, gave him the samples, and let him know that there were some potential new heroes on the horizon, depending on how some things worked out. Batman said, "Considering what you are dealing with, I will get to work on this as soon as possible. Looks like you got yourself in something deep this time, Marvel."

"It would seem that way," said Marvel, "And what should I do with these four others?"

Batman pondered this for a few moments, and then said, "It seems that they would know this foe the best, so gaining their aid would be good. However, with their relative inexperience, that could cause problems. It depends on how quick they cohere. If things get really bad, you have the JLA contact device. Do not hesitate to use it. The lives of all those kids at the school may be in grave danger, and it may be more than the five of you can handle. I'll brief the rest of the league on the problem, and see what they have to say."

"Thanks for your time, Bats," said Marvel. Yet, just then, they looked down from the building ledge where they were standing, and spotted about seven gang members closing in on an unsuspecting pedestrian. Batman quickly informed Robin that they had made contact with their target, and to move in fast. Then, a smile curled on Batman's lips. He turned to Captain Marvel, and said, "Well, since you came all this way, why not make it worth it?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," said Marvel, with a big grin.

Billy mused over how Batman moved in on the gang, quickly dispatched two of them, then how Robin came in out of nowhere on two of them who were looking to Pearl Harbor Batman, how the remaining three tried to make a run for it, and ran smack into a smiling Captain Marvel. The look on their faces made the night worth it. "Leaving so soon, boys?" said Marvel, "But the night is so young: why go? Have a seat, boys."

The two that Robin had jumped had given Batman and Robin the slip, and were trying to make a run for it, only to run violently into their friends coming in very quickly from the other direction, (and not under their own power!) This was truly a bad night for these boys, who had been wanted for some quite heinous crimes. It was bad enough to have Gotham's Finest on your case, worse with the Batman also chasing you. It really went south when the Fawcett City Juggernaut joined in the fun. Some days, it just didn't pay to be a criminal. Billy went to bed contented, knowing that he had made the world a better place again, even if only a little.


	5. Chapter 5

**V**

The next day, as they were preparing for orientation, Fakir and Mytho were preparing for their performance, and Billy was getting ready for the morning. Billy looked at the uniforms again, and then noticed that each uniform also contained a unibody undergarment, with certain instructions. He said, "Hey, guys, did you notice this?" and held up the undergarments. It certainly seemed strange. It was very thin material, and they wondered just what the things were for. Fakir then read the slip of paper that came with his. The paper read, "Both garments are machine washable, and tumble dry ready. The undergarment is of a space age technology from Shazam Enterprises, (the Wizard's little joke,) that will allow the wearer to adapt to any climate: cools in heat, warms in cold, and fully breathable. Please enjoy your new garments."

Billy then said, "Wow, this actually looks like you could wear the whole deal underneath your street clothes, and not have it be noticeable."

They looked over the outfits, and had to admit that Billy was right. This way, they could be ready for action at any time. However, the carrying of the swords would be a bit of a problem. Therefore, they asked Billy about his Tai Chi, and if they could learn. He was more than happy to help them, and told them what time in the morning he would be in the dance room to practice. With that, they all went out to the main theatre hall.

When Billy came out of the dorm, he saw Ahiru coming out as well. She was beaming. It was not so much that she was walking as much as it was that she was floating about two inches off the ground. Even Mai and Yuma were surprised at the change in their friend, wondering what came over her. Mai had no clue, but Yuma figured that it had to do something with Billy Batson. Billy said, "Hi, Baby Duck."

She didn't even pay the comment any mind, as if it were completely okay with her, not even caring who heard it. She responded with, "Hi, Rubber Duck. Are you ready?

"Well, I am, and, it certainly seems like you are as well!" answered Billy.

"I feel like I could take on the world," she gushed. At that, they walked quietly for a minute or two, and it was then that Ahiru first noticed the chain around Billy's neck. She said, "Say, Billy, that's the first time I've seen that chain. What's that?"

"Oh, this?" he answered, as he pulled out the chain, and what was on it, "I'm surprised I didn't mention it the other day."

It was one half of an Egyptian scarab. Ahiru examined it for a second or two, and then asked, "So, what's it mean?"  
"This was from my father," Billy answered, "Like I said, I am a twin, and me and my sister were separated at birth due to all the danger to my family. Dad took this old scarab, broke it in two, and made pendants out of them. One half went to me, and the other to my twin sister. He was going to use this to identify her when the time came that we could all be together again. Unfortunately, that didn't happen."

Billy then looked at the scarab with a slightly sad look on his face, but then brightened a bit, and said, "Yet, I still have this, and the hope that one day, I'll run into her. It was almost impossible at one time. Now, with the Internet, and other things, I have a better hope of finding her. I think I'll have to make the effort because, well, think about it: what are the odds of me bumping right into her?"

As he was saying this, and putting the scarab back under his shirt, he bumped into a girl who obviously looked lost. "Oops!" exclaimed Billy, "I'm sorry! I should have been watching."

"That's okay," she said, "I think I'm the one that should have been watching. I am so lost. I just got here today. I figured that I'd just follow the crowd."

"Do you have a roommate?" asked Ahiru.

"Yes," she answered, "Rue Kuroah, and she was quite surprised to see someone coming in like that."

"Wow!" said Ahiru, "She's my best friend. Was she okay with it?"

"Well, it was a bit awkward," the stranger answered, "But she seemed to be quick to make friends, and it seems okay. She couldn't be with me, because she had to be at the auditorium: something about being a part of the orientation."

"Oh, that!" exclaimed Ahiru, "That's a tradition with the seniors. They all take part of some performances during the orientation, along with the instructors. I can't wait for my turn!"

"That's cool!" she responded, "Looks like orientation won't be dull after all."

"Not at a school of the arts!" chirped Ahiru, "By the way, I forgot to ask your name."

"Oh, it's Mary…Mary Bumford," she answered, as they all made their way to the auditorium. She was wearing the school uniform, (one was selected for her, since her parents contacted the school about her being behind in coming, and this was to aid her in getting ready for her first day.) She was 14 years old, with raven hair that was wavy, and hung down to her upper back. Oddly enough, she had facial features that seemed similar to Billy's, and this was something that Ahiru didn't take into account at that moment, due to her being focused on school, and her upcoming attempt to enter the intermediate level of the class.

Once in the auditorium, the students were called quiet down, and things began. Bjorn Johansson, the headmaster, then took the podium, and began to speak. "Greetings one and all," he thundered, with his thick, Norwegian accent, "Welcome, and welcome back, to all the students, and future stars of the world!"

The class began to applaud loudly, and began to chant, "Kinkan! Kinkan!"

The room was called to silence again, and he continued. He began by starting with a slide and film presentation of the story of Kinkan Matzuzama and a history of the school. He then began to show the map of the school, and began to orientate the students with the grounds and locations of everything, also mentioning that there was a map in the school handbook, and that all new students should carry that with them until they were more familiar with the grounds. The presentation then continued with a program about the school itself, a brief of the different departments, and some of the extra curricular activities. When that was over, he then said, "Now I must take a moment to be serious and frank. The presentation you are about to see is meant to be as entertaining as it is informative, and show you that you will have some fun while learning here. Yet, before we can do that, I must deal with a couple of serious things, and get them out of the way, so that we can have some fun this morning. Yes, the performing arts are fun, and are supposed to be fun. We are supposed to gain as much enjoyment as those we attempt to entertain. However, I must mention that, before any of us get there, we must pay our dues. What that means is many years of hard work, much of that work being done by you independently already. However, it is here that we seek to push you to your limits, in order to bring out the best in you for your futures. Not all of it will be laughter. Some of it will be blood, toil, tears, and sweat. These things are the "money" so to speak, that you shall use to begin paying those dues. However, as many of you already know, when it comes time for the final production, that short run of programs make all the struggles worth it. Therefore, the end production is something one should always set as a goal to seek in whatever they do. It makes all the hard work worth it. Here, your end production is graduation, and either going into the business, or furthering your training in an arts college. This is what you need to set your eyes on. Right now is the time you should already be seeing yourself in the graduation show at the end of your senior year. This will get you through. Sad to say, though, that not all of us will make it. Remember, you also have academic requirements to fulfill as well, and the lack of study has been one of the biggest contributors to washing out students. You must give them your full attention as well. This is part of what is going to make this a challenge. I want everyone to look to the right of you, and then to the left. One of those people will not be with you at graduation. That is a scary thought, but that are the odds of washing out. Thus, you have to have it in your mind that you shall not be one of those people. Just keep reminding yourself that the struggles you shall face now shall be nothing compared to the accolades that will come from succeeding here. Now, with that said, it is time to lay all seriousness aside, and begin to present our performing arts departments."

No one said a word as the head of the theatre department took the podium, as the gravity of the situation was sinking in. That was a heavy load for some. However, the mood was soon to become lighter. The theatre department head began to describe its function, and what its expectations were for any student in that department. She then said, "It has also fallen upon us to go over the school rules. Instead of boring you with a long lecture, we have put together a series of skits that we will interlace throughout the presentation called 'Good Idea, Bad Idea,' that will cover the rules in a humorous way. Do note, however, that, though we are making light of them, they are no less legitimate, and hold a need to be followed. With that, we shall begin."  
Some ragtime music began to play over the PA system, they ran through about four of the rules, and then the floor was given over to the music and voice departments. They spoke of how they were the first of the arts to be offered at the school, and are the mainstay of Kinkan, and any art form, because without music, much of everything else would have nothing to stand on. With that, the maestro said, "Now, we shall show you new and returning students what potential you all have in achieving your goals, and much better than the composer that we are about to present: P.D.Q. Bach."

Billy rolled his eyes and laughed. He then said to Mary and Ahiru, who were flanking him, "Get ready for a wild ride!"

He then went turned the podium over to the guest conductor, who was the creator of the fictional composer, and said that he was glad to be able to present this at one of the most prestigious schools of the arts in the world; a place, he said, "…that I think P.D.Q. could have benefited from greatly, in that, he would have gone from oddball and obscure, to at least mediocre."

That drew a big laugh from the audience. He then began a brief history of the composer, and then prepared to present the Messah Hilarious, S# N2O, for Bargain Counter Tenor, Basso Blotto, choir, and orchestra. After a brief history of the piece, they commenced. The students practically needed oxygen because they were laughing so hard. However, despite the laughs, the seniors were able to strut their stuff for the first time that year, and gave the young students something to aim for. After some more skits, the dance department came out. The department taught tap, jazz, modern, and, of course, ballet. The tap department proceeded to perform "_Good Morning, Good Morning!_" from _Singing in the Rain_. Billy brightened, and said, "Hey, that's one of my all time favorite musicals!"

"Look at the coordination it takes to do that," exclaimed Ahiru.

"I think it takes just as much discipline as ballet to do that," said Billy.

"You certainly can't pan it," said Mary, "especially when it is done right."

After the jazz and modern sub-departments did their thing, the ballet department came out. "And now we introduce to you the head ballet instructor, one Gustaph Katt."

When he took the stage, there were some murmurs going around. This was the strangest sight they had ever seen: a cat in charge of ballet. Mary said, "Am I the only one that sees a cat around here?"

"Don't worry," said Ahiru, "It is odd, but you'll get used to him. By the way, what are you here for?"

"Ballet," said Mary, as she sunk in her chair, thinking of how it would be to see this…well…thing in front of her day after day. He then spoke, "Greetings to all you ballet students. I would please ask you to overlook my looks, and understand that I may look different, but I am like you in many respects. One thing we do have in common is our love for ballet. I hope to enrich that to you over time. Some say that I am a bit heavy handed. However, know that, if I may seem heavy-handed with you, it only means that I think you have great potential as a dancer, and I only want to see you succeed. If I ignore you, that's when you worry!"

That got a laugh, and seemed to put people at ease. He continued, "Now, I must say that I do emphasize the classical style, in that, if you learn that solidly first, you can do the contemporary things later on with ease."

He then put a playful eye to the approaching instructors and seniors approaching the center stage, and said, "…although I do believe that the contemporary form is too sloppy, and a bit lazy. It could never be as good as the classical style."

At that, one of the seniors approached the podium, and said, "That's a bunch of hooey! It takes just as much skill and discipline to do that as it does the classical style!"

This was followed by a chorus of affirmations from the seniors. Then Mr. Katt said, "Oh really?"

At that, the instructors all took places as the start of Beethoven's Fifth began to play, and they all began to dance to the music. Suddenly, it became obvious that, what was being played was the Electric Light Orchestra's rendition of _Roll Over Beethoven. _When the rock guitars stared to play, the instructors all pretended to be horrified, and the seniors began to do their dances. It turned into a dance-off, with everyone doing brief solos, group work, and _pas de deux_. By the end of the song, they were all in one accord seeming to mix the contemporary with the classic, and finished with a grand finale. By the end, everyone was on his or her feet. Suddenly, Mr. Katt did not seem so odd, and everyone was set at ease. Mr. Johansson retook the podium and said, "This ends today's orientation. Good luck to everyone in your placement auditions today, and let's have a great year!"

At this, he had the band strike up again, and the school song was put up on an overhead as they all sang the rousing tune, which was followed by the chanting of the school name anew. After Mr. Johansson called a dismissal of the proceedings, everyone went to lunch, and then to prepare for their auditions. During lunch, everyone was abuzz, and looking like they were having a good time. Mai and Yuma eventually found their way to Ahiru and company, and then introduced themselves to Mary. The other three eventually found their way to the group, and it soon broke up into girl's conversation and boy's conversation, although Ahiru didn't say much to Rue, after the conversation that they had the night before. After chatting a bit, Rue said, "Oh, Ahiru, by the way, I would like you, Mytho, and Fakir to join me after the auditions. There are some matters that we need to talk about privately."

"Ooh, how mysterious," exclaimed Yuma, "Plotting some great world takeover," she teased.

"None of your business, little girl," said Rue, smiling sarcastically, as she patted Yuma on the head.

"Boy, oh boy," said Mai, "You are the nosy one!"

Mytho then said, "Oh, and we shall also be there to watch you, and give you some moral support, Billy and Ahiru."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," said Billy, "I'm just glad it's after all the other things I have to do. I have a solo to sing and to play. I'm glad theatre is a bit easier. There, you just sign up for the progressive classes: the fundamentals of acting, characterization, the Method, and so on, and so forth. It's going to be a busy year!"

Ahiru wasn't sure that she wanted to hear anything, because she was still a bit sore at Rue. Still, if Fakir and Mytho were going to be there, it had to be something important. She would go, but she would also try to set things straight with Rue. With that, they broke up until the auditions.

Billy was in for a fortunate surprise. When he did his singing and music tryouts, he was told that his skills were such that all he needed was tutoring a couple of days a week to hone his skills to perfection. For that, there was no need for classes or grades. He just needed to keep his skills fresh until he could get to a college that could take him to the next level. This was a great relief to him, in that, the demand that such classes would make on him would clash when it came time for shows. In other words, if there was a ballet to do at the same time as a concert or an opera, which could he fulfill so that he could receive a grade for one effort, and not ignore the other? This would only leave the need for theatre and ballet. That would relieve his class load greatly. However, it would still not be easy to work through two disciplines: almost all the students were there for one discipline or another. Yet, Billy remembered the speech of Mr. Johansen: you must see yourself as graduating to keep a clear vision on the goal. Thus, he went to the ballet room for his audition. His new friends and Mary had already gotten there. He had two CD's burned: one for Ahiru and one for himself, and then sat down between Mary and Ahiru, and put his concentration on what he had to do. A few others did their routines, and were told, (as all the students would be told,) that the results would be posted on the bulletin board outside 30 minutes after the tryout. Then the board called out, "Ahiru Arima," and she went up to the man playing the music, handed him the disc, and took her place. However, the way she was dressed made Rue cringe a bit. Instead of her yellow and gray ensemble, she was dressed in white tights dark pink slippers and a dark pink leotard. Around her waist was a knee length light pink silk scarf style skirt. Instead of her having her hair in her normal braid, she put it into a bun, and wore a white sweatband on her head. In other words, if Princess Tutu was a separate person, and doing rehearsals, this is probably the outfit she would wear. It seemed that Ahiru had completely embraced her alter ego, and began to identify with the person that she became when she used the pendant. However, she also remembered what Shazam had said in her letter, and figured that Ahiru must have had something similar told to her: all she became was something that was deep within her greatly enhanced, along with visions of herself as she had always wanted to be. It seemed that Ahiru and Tutu were already beginning to become one and the same person. With that being the case, what she wanted to tell her would make things that much more difficult. Meanwhile, Ahiru's dance progressed. Yet, instead of seeing the awkward 13-year-old novice stumbling through her routine, unsure of herself, (as she usually was,) she instead saw a beautiful young woman beginning to emerge from her chrysalis, brimming with beauty, charm, and confidence. Ahiru finished with a beautiful front and back split, bowed over the forward leg. Everyone in the room was clapping, including, (to her surprise,) Mr. Katt. He was happy to see the result of the hard summer of work that she had said that she had put in. What no one knew was that Ahiru was doing all she could to channel Tutu without actually becoming her, and it seemed to have worked. The board said, "Well done, Miss Arima: you have progressed nicely. The results will be posted later."

"Thank you," she said, beaming, and yet showing off some of that "little girl" bashfulness that seemed to linger within her. Billy and Mary were ecstatic, as were Mai and Yuma, who had also come along for some moral support. "Keep this up, love, and you'll be in toe shoes in no time," said Yuma.

"Bah," said Mai, "Don't be in a hurry! It's not all it's cracked up to be," as she reached down and rubbed her toes. Yuma then said, "It wouldn't be so hard, mate, if you were not so aggressive when you get on your toes. You need some poise."

"Oh really?" said Mai, "So you think I have no poise and grace?"

"Oh, stop it, you two," said Ahiru, with a gentle, yet authoritative manner they had not ever seen in her before, "That's just her way. She just has to find 'her ballet'."

"And just what do you mean by that, love," said Yuma.

"The only dancer you can be is you," said Ahiru, as if she were Tutu, "You just have to find out who that is."

Mary had to concur, "Just be you. If you don't know who that is, you'll find her in time."

Mai liked what she was hearing, and was beginning to find a kindred spirit in Mary. Rue, on the other hand, was a bit disturbed at the sight. What in the world happened to Ahiru? It was as if someone had snatched her, and replaced her with this person. It was like night and day. It was not that it was a bad thing, in that; she was misbehaving, or acting badly. It was how quickly this change was taking place. Yes, this was going to be tough.

"William Batson," said the board. With that, he went up to the player, and handed him the disc. As he got into position, the board commented, "That's an interesting choice of ballet slipper, Mr. Batson. I would not call that standard ballet attire."

"Believe me," responded Billy, "They are fantastic for this! I feel I can move better this way. Hopefully, it will show."

They answered, "Well, this is your tryout, so, good luck to you."

With that, he commenced his routine. While this was going on, Mary leaned over, and asked, "So, how long have you two known each other?"

"A few days," whispered Ahiru.

"Wow!" whispered Mary, in response, "You two act like you've been friends for ages. He does seem like a nice boy."

"Well, I'm still sorting things out on where that is going," she said, shyly.

"Well, you're going to have to beat them off with a stick," said Mary, "He is quite charming," raising her eyebrows in a knowing way. Ahiru did not know why, but a protective, and jealous, stance came over her. She said, "Not if I have my way about it."

Then she was surprised with her response. They were still just friends, and had just met not but a few days before. Why was she acting like this? Billy finished with some applause, and the board said, "Well done, Mr. Batson. I can see why you like those shoes. It would seem that, if we had put standard shoes on you, it would actually hinder you. Results will be posted."

With that, he sat down. Ahiru was the first to greet him, gave him a friendly hug, and said, "I'm so proud of you!"

She then caught herself, and said, "I mean, not that this just meant anything…I mean, the hug…that is, I don't hate you…but I don't want to say too much…yet, what am I saying…"

Billy just smiled, after shaking of a little shock with her display of affection, and said, (to take the edge off things,) "Quack, quack."

She shook, stopped, took a deep breath, and said, "Thank you: I've been trying to hard not to do that."

Rue chuckled, and said; "Now that's more like Ahiru."

"Mary Bumford," was called, and she began to take the floor. Yet, before she did, she suddenly stopped, looked down, and realized that she was still wearing her necklace. She quickly flipped it off, handed it to Billy, and said, "Oh, could you please be a pet and hold this for me? I forgot I was still wearing it. Thanks!"

With that, she began her routine. Ahiru then looked at the necklace. She had to admit that this was the first time she had noticed that Mary was wearing it. Billy was shifting the item on the bottom of it around in his hand as he watched her dance. Suddenly, he stopped, ran his thumb over it a couple of times, and then slowly began to look down. What he saw in his hand was one-half of an Egyptian scarab, and a very familiar one. His eyes went wide, and he gulped hard. He then looked up at Mary again. None of this escaped the view of Ahiru, as she also noticed, for the first time, what Billy was holding. She, at first, thought it was his. Then, she realized that he had not reached into his sack, where he had placed it, save to retrieve the discs, and realized that it was the opposite side of the one he had shown her earlier. She then looked again at Mary. It suddenly dawned on her just how much alike she and Billy looked. By the time she looked back at Billy, he had already gone into his sack and pulled out his pendant. Sweat was beading all over his face, and not from the dance that he had just done. His whole body was trembling. He was attempting to fit the two pieces together, trying to calm his two shaking hands enough to get the job done. He finally matched them, and they were a perfect fit! He stared to hyperventilate, clutched his chair for a moment to regain control, and then calmly put his half back. He then sat there and stared wide eyed at Mary until she was done with her routine. After a bit of accolades, and talk from the board, she went back to where the others were seated, and noticed that Billy had turned a ghostly white. "Are you alright?" she asked, "You don't look well."

Billy, like a zombie, lifted up the scarab to Mary and then said, quite blankly, "Mary, there is something important that I need to tell you about that scarab. If you could meet me in the student union café at about 6 o'clock tonight, I would like to tell you about it."

He then turned about to the others, and said, "I would like all of you to be there as well, if you could."

Ahiru, knowing where that might lead, spoke for the others, and said, "We'll be there, Billy. You can count on us."

The others were surprised at this reaction, seeing that Ahiru had never really been that assertive before, and yet agreed that they would be there. Mary, who was not sure where all this was going, said, "This isn't going to be some prank initiation thing or anything, is it?"

"Believe me," said Billy, "If what I think is not true about that scarab, the joke is going to be on me."

Reluctantly, she agreed, although she did not understand why it was that he wanted his friends there. Since they had finished their routines, there was no more need for them to be there, so they went off to the locker rooms to shower and change clothes. In the girl's room, after they had showered, Ahiru asked Mary, "So, what sentiment does that scarab hold for you?"

"Well," she said, "All I know is that I have had it since birth. It was kept for me until I was old enough to understand that it was not to ever be lost, and that I should wear it at all times. When I asked why, they said that, one day, it would lead to people that loved me very much. Well, I never knew what that meant, but, because the people that let me have this loved me so much, I wear it for them. Now, it's kind of like a good luck charm."

That was all that Ahiru needed to hear. She now knew that this was not a rival that she was dealing with, but her friends long lost sister. She knew she just had to be there for Billy.

After they emerged from the shower room, they went to the board, and as they had hoped, Mary, Billy, and Ahiru had all made the intermediate class. Ahiru was elated! She could not wait to tell the others the good news. However, some of those that she wanted to tell were actually waiting for her to emerge, namely, Mytho, Fakir, and Rue. Her elation turned to frustration in an instant. Without saying a word, she turned on her heel, and went with the others. They all waked, and not a word was said until they were off the school grounds, and in the back woods trails. It was not until they had actually gotten away from those that would be prying ears and eyes that anything was said. Finally, Rue broke the silence, and said, "First of all, I have to apologize to you, Ahiru, and confess something."

Ahiru looked straight ahead and said, blankly, "Okay, I'm listening."

Rue continued, "I was too harsh with you, and I shouldn't have been. I am not your mother, and you have to choose what you think is best."

"And just what brought this on?" responded Ahiru, still looking straight ahead.

"That's where the confession part comes in," said Rue, "I said that I was not going to take the pendant, and I am still not going to. However…" she trailed off, looking for the right words. She then continued, "Something came up last night that…well…I had to use the pendant I was given."

Ahiru stopped, and looked at her. "And you had the audacity to tell me I was a fool!" she said, raising her voice. Rue sighed heavily, and then said, "Look, its not like I'm going to keep using it!" sounding more and more frustrated herself, "It's just…well…remember yesterday, when you felt helpless not being able to help those men, because you did not have the means?"

"Yes," said Ahiru, with accusing eyes, "Go on."

"Well, that fire last night: I saw Captain Marvel head off to it, so I knew it might be bad, and the means _was_ provided me to do something about it. So I did."

"Was that the only reason?" asked Ahiru.

"Well, there was that, and, I feared that, if you had heard the sirens, you might have headed off to the fire, and I would not have forgiven myself if something had happened to you. Therefore, I went, and went in a form that, if you were in trouble, I could do something about it. Believe me, it was only this once."

Mytho then interjected, "I believe what she says, Ahiru. I sense nothing that would indicate otherwise. She really was concerned about you."

Ahiru calmed down a bit, and then said, "Okay, I accept your apology," then paused, screwed up her face, and said, "But now, I'm confused. You got to be Kraehe again, and did some good. Why do you not want to do that now?"

"Look, I have to worry about graduating, getting my future going, and things like that. There is no time for that," reasoned Rue. However Fakir chimed in, saying, "And you had time last year to do what you were doing, and not necessarily for the right reasons?"

That hit her like a ton of bricks. Fakir, sensing this, then said, "I don't think that this is the reason why you do not want to be Kraehe again."

Mytho chimed in again, and said, "What I sense is a lot of anxiety and fear."

Rue became frustrated, and said, "Can't you switch that thing off, Mytho?"

"It's a part of me: I cannot do anything about it, Rue," responded Mytho.

"Then, why, Rue: I don't understand?" asked Ahiru.

"Look, I wasn't a nice person before, I don't want to be that again!" she said forcefully.

"But, Shazam said that all the jewel does is bring out what you are, and what your dreams are, with some gifts added in," reasoned Ahiru, "Those things that made Kraehe are not there anymore, are they?"

Rue was becoming frustrated, and did not know how to answer. She ignored the question, and tried to deflect the 3rd degree she was now receiving. "Hey, I wanted to talk to you three to try and talk you out of all this superhero nonsense," said Rue, "You have to choose, and I would rather you did not. But, if you insist on doing this, count me out."

"You're hiding something, Rue," said Rue. She knew she could not get away from the walking emotional barometer. She loved him dearly, but grew frustrated that he knew her better than she would have cared for. Mytho stated, "Besides all this, Ahiru wants this, and I am willing to be there to protect her."

"As am I," added Fakir. With that, Mytho revealed the uniform that he was wearing under his clothes, as did Fakir.

"Where are we going to find the time to do this kind of thing?" shouted Rue. Ahiru had as much as she was going to take, and then said, "I know someone who might be able to help."

She then stepped back away from the others and started to reach for her pendant. Rue said, "No! Don't go there!" but it was too late. She transformed right there in front of everyone, and immediately gestured, "Dance with me."

Rue was beginning to make a run for it, but she was intercepted by the boys. Now, she was an expert in Aikido, and could have easily gotten away if she had wanted, but she did not want to hurt her friends. She then said, in a pleading fashion, "Please, don't make me do this, I beg you."

"Rue, I won't hurt you," said Tutu with a smile, and in her normal, gentle demeanor, "I just want to help you. If I did not have this, I would have gone insane. Now I have peace, but you have none. That is not right. You are my friend, and I want to help you, because, if you do not face this, you too will have trouble keeping your sanity. Please, open your heart to me."

With that, she again extended her hand. Rue's hand was trembling, and she extended it, but halted halfway. "I don't…I can't…" she said, gripped in fear. However, this was all the opening Tutu needed. She quickly, but gently, took Rue's hand, and smiled as she caressed Rue's face. Rue felt a comforting warmth and peace overcome her. The two began to dance to a symphony that only they could hear. Though they were on an uneven forest trail, because of Tutu's gifts, they were dancing as if they were on a stage. "Rue, there is so much in you that wants to do good. Why are you so scared?" asked Tutu.

"I was such a bad person. I was just trying to help Mytho, not knowing I was hurting the ones that really cared about me. If I had not accepted that pendant, none of this would have happened," answered Rue.

"Would it have?" asked Tutu, "I was determined to help Mytho, and, if you had not found, and planted some of the heart shards, I never would have found them."

"It was that pendant," said Rue, "It made me be something that I really didn't want to be. It brought out things that needed to stay buried."

"Was it the pendant, or was it Edel playing mind games with you that made you that way?" asked Tutu, "Did not the pendant only bring out what was in you? If Edel had not planted those thoughts, would things not have been different?"

There was no hiding it any more, because Tutu was stripping away all her mental defenses and blocks. Rue finally said, "I love all of you too much! I love you most of all for saving my life, and giving me another chance! I don't want to take even the smallest chance of hurting you again!"

The interesting thing to the whole show was the fact that Mytho and Fakir heard none of this conversation. Inwardly, the whole conversation was telepathically occurring. However, outwardly, whatever was being expressed in that state was being expressed in the dance that they saw being displayed before them. Once Tutu heard that, Tutu said, "Such a noble heart is not one as such that should be shut off from the rest of the world. You are willing to sacrifice all the good you could do so that you do not take a chance at hurting the ones you love. Such a heart is not the heart you possessed then. Tell me: was it Kraehe that came out last night, or was it someone else?"

"I was…I am now the Black Swan: Princess Claire," said Rue.

"I sense there is something else there you are holding back," said Tutu, "What do you want to tell me?"

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry I tried to hurt you, and to hurt the boys! I never told you! I should have told you! Please forgive me! I need to hear you say it!" cried Rue.

"Is that all?" asked Tutu, "Rue, I forgive you, and I forgave you long ago. I forgave you when you allowed me to be the prima in _Swan_ _Lake_, when you showed me that the selfish person you once were is not the person you are now. I am sure that the others have forgiven you. This is the real past that we need to leave behind. However, we cannot walk away from what we truly are. Now, we have the chance to be what we are, and what we wish to be personified. With those things, we _can _do the world some good. Second chances are not often, but when they come, we must embrace them. Now you have the chance to erase the deeds of Kraehe for ever, and eclipse them as my swan sister: the Black Swan, Princes Claire—the Swift Avenger."

With that, the dance ended, and Rue was lying on the ground, with her head in the lap of a kneeling Tutu, softly sobbing, and saying, "I'm so sorry. I love you all so much," as Tutu caressed her hair, saying, "It's alright. All is forgiven."

Meanwhile, Fakir and Mytho were awestruck at what they had just seen. They had no clue that Tutu possessed such power. She may not be much as a fighter, but she can pack a punch in the right areas. Tutu helped Rue to her feet, and then Rue embraced her. Then, Mytho and Fakir also embraced the other two. "We must never forget this day," said Mytho, "This is the day that we became as one. We need each other. The Knights and the Swans should be together forever."

Even though it was not voiced, a pact was made right then and there: a new team came to be that day.


	6. Chapter 6

**VI**

After everyone was calmed and cleaned up, they all went to the Take 5 café in the student union, where Billy would be waiting. Rue saw the anxious look on Mary's face, and said, "Don't worry: I'm sure its nothing."

"What's bothering me was the look on his face," said Mary, "He was as pale as a sheet, and sweating profusely."

"Well, he wants us all there," responded Rue, "So I think its something he needs some moral support for."

"Moral support to tell me about a pendant?" asked Mary, with one eyebrow raised.

"Just come. I think it will be okay," assured Rue. As they went out, they met up with the Terrible Trio, (Ahiru, Mai, and Yuma.) Ahiru was dressed nice, but casual, while Mai, though an up and coming dancer, wore a tee shirt and jeans with sneakers. Yuma, on the other hand, sensed something special, and went the other way. She was wearing a white knee length girl's dress, complete with a few petticoats, light blue sash, short socks with white shoes, a high frilly collar, and half-length puffed sleeves. It looked as if she were going to a preteen dance rather than a friendly get together. Mai just shook her head, as Rue giggled a bit at the sight. They came out and met up with Mytho and Fakir. Billy was already at the Take 5, and he had called in Uncle Dudley, considering the gravity of the situation. The motley crew entered the café, and saw Billy at a discreet back table. Mary was not sure what this was about, but then was thrown into confusion when she saw the rotund, big nosed, balding, and gray haired gentleman sitting there, in a red dress shirt, white sports jacket with leather hunting patches, and blue slacks sitting there. As she approached, she saw something that stopped her dead in her tracks. Billy was wearing, and displaying openly, a half scarab identical to hers, except for the fact that it was on the opposite side. Dudley, ever the jovial man, smiled at her, and warmly welcomed her to sit down. He introduced himself, and explained that what she was about to learn may scare her a bit, but, there would be something wonderful in it. Billy then asked her to produce her half scarab. When she did, Billy then spoke, "Mary, my father was an Egyptologist and Archeologist of some renown at one point in his life. However, he had enemies, and he knew that this man was looking to harm him, and any member of the family he could find. The day I was born, I was born a twin. Because of the threat, I and my sister were separated at birth."

Billy began to shiver a bit, and was about to continue, when Dudley saw his difficulty, and decided to take it from there. He said, "My brother, in order to retrieve that twin, a fraternal twin—a girl—took an old scarab and broke it in two. He put both halves on a chain, and insured that Billy and his sister each got a half. This was what he…"

Mary caught on to the gist of the situation in sheer surprise and wonderment, and continued the statement, "…what he was going to use to identify the twins."

"Exactly!" said Dudley, "If things ever became safe, he would be able to identify his daughter. Unfortunately, he was murdered before that could happen. Billy was put into foster care, because I could not mind him at the time. Billy and I are the only two surviving members of the family that we know of."

"And you want to find out if I am that one?" she asked, now more curious that scared.

"There are a few questions that need to be asked," said Billy, having now composed himself, "Are you an orphan?"  
"Yes."

"What day were you born?" asked Billy, and it matched his birthday.

"Has anything about your past been revealed to you?" asked Billy.

"Nothing," answered Mary, "No one would, or could, tell me anything."

Uncle Dudley then said, "Then, can you please give me the scarab?"

Without hesitation, she handed over her necklace, and Billy did the same. Uncle Dudley then put the two pieces together in a perfect match. Uncle Dudley then said, joyously, "Welcome back, Mary Batson!" and hugged her. Everyone around the table began to applaud. Mary was a ball of emotions: she did not know what to think. Dudley then said, "Now, we have to make it official. I need to take a small lock of your hair, and see if it matches a lock that was taken from Billy's twin on the day of her birth, because there is more than gaining a brother involved. There is the matter of an inheritance that awaits you, and this will be the final touch on all the other evidence that the courts will need to hand over what rightfully belongs to the heirs of the Batson fortune."

"I have a brother!" she exclaimed, "I have a brother!"

She was beginning to cry tears of joy, and she practically crawled over everyone to get to Billy to kiss him, and give him a great big hug. Billy was also in tears, embracing her just as hard. Billy then stood up on the bench and shouted, "Hey, everyone, I found my long lost sister!"

At this, everyone came over to see what the commotion was all about, and began to ask questions and congratulate the two. Uncle Dudley said, "I will have the results back tomorrow, and then we can officially celebrate. The three of us can have dinner this Saturday."

Billy then said, "And you six can come with us two for ice cream tomorrow, my treat!"

Upon hearing this, the cook at the café said, "Let's start now! I'm putting out ten extra large pizzas on the house, and free drinks for everyone!"

Everyone shouted, and someone struck up the jukebox. They had until bed check to celebrate, but it would be a fun night.

The next say started classes officially. Fakir and Mytho joined Ahiru and Billy for their morning Tai Chi session and limbering up. By the end of that, the normal students all arrived. In this class, all levels worked together in basics warm-ups, and then divided into their groups. Mr. Katt opened with, "Welcome to a new year, and a new year of some hard, but rewarding work. Congratulations to all those that managed to advance, and congratulations to Billy and Mary Batson on their wonderful news!"

Everyone applauded the two who were a bit overtaken at all the attention. Then Mr. Katt said, "Before we start, I also have something for a student I never thought would go forward, thinking that she just wanted to marry me," he paused, coughed a bit, and then said, "…just wanted to not make an effort. However, she redoubled her efforts, and managed to advance quickly. In honor of this, I have something I denied her last year, because I felt she was not ready for it last year. Miss Arima, would you please step forward."

She stepped forward, wearing the same outfit she had the day before, not sure as to where this was going. Mr. Katt then turned around and took up a plastic bag, and then said, "This is the year, young lady, that you go _en Pointe_."

With that, he handed over the bag, which was essentially a toe shoe kit, complete with the shoes, knot keepers, gel toe sleeves to protect her feet, talc, and tape. Everyone applauded again as Mr. Katt continued, "I took the liberty of breaking in the shoes for you so you could begin to get used to wearing them as soon as possible. Please put them on, and prepare for warm-ups."

She then sat on the floor as Rue began to help her into the shoes properly. Once in them, they felt a bit awkward, but not quite unfamiliar. She knew what they were like from wearing them as Tutu. However, when it came time to go on the toes, despite knowing what to do, and despite the toe sleeves, it was a slightly painful shock. She also knew that, as Tutu, she already possessed the ankle strength to do this, but that she also would have to develop that strength as Ahiru. It was going to be a long and sore day. After the warm-ups, Mr. Katt took aside the intermediate and advanced classes, and said, "For those who are in the intermediate class for the first time, this will be fun for you. You see, you have learned all you have needed to know about the dance steps. Here, you will now learn variations on those steps, and how to put those steps to good use. This is because the two levels represented here will be the ones with the privilege of doing any shows that are to be done. This is because it is the best way to put all that you have learned to practical application, and have fun doing it. It is in those shows that you will best learn the variations in rehearsals. With this, my first announcement is about the fall variety show in early October. This is one the few times that you, as students will be able to let you hair down, because you can do whatever you want in that show: there is no grade for it. Then, after that, the fall festival will start, and it happens to fall around Halloween this year. Because of that, we shall be doing the ballet "Dracula." Many of you may not have known that this had been made into a ballet, but it has, and it is quite creepy. It will be fun to do. I have already figured in who the leads should be, and I am going to announce it now. For the role of Lucy, I would like Rue."

Yuma, who had a love for the classics, and for romance, said, "Considering the character, it fits you, Rue. Just be yourself."

Everyone chuckled, and Rue put her in a playful headlock, and gave her a noogie, as she said, "Are you sure someone else shouldn't do it?" pointing to Yuma.

Everyone laughed, and Mr. Katt then continued, "For the role of Mina, I want Mary…is it Bumford or Batson now?"

"I'm moving my old last name to my middle name now, so Batson is fine," she said, smiling at Billy. Then Mr. Katt said, "Billy, I want you to play Van Helsing."

Billy, familiar with the story, was surprised that he was to play such a prominent supporting role. "As for you three," continued Mr. Katt, (pointing to the Terrible Trio—Yuma still rubbing her head from the noogie,) "I want to play the three vampyras who live in the castle."

The three of them looked at each other, and then let out an evil cackle. "I shall be playing Renfield," said Mr. Katt, imitating the laugh associated with that character, and then said, "Mytho, I want you to play Jonathan Harker. That leaves the title role. I know whom I want, but I want to take a consensus. Who do you think should play Dracula?"

Everyone thought for a moment, and then they all, as if one, pointed to Fakir. Fakir did not seem too flattered at this, considering that he already had a dark and brooding reputation. He just sighed. Yet, Mytho, to "rub in a bit of salt" said, "_Mein Bruder, der Nosferatu!_"

"_Silence Idiot_," he said back, in German. Mytho just let out a giggle. "Okay, what that means is that I want you to either find a copy of the original book, or at least view _Braham Stoker's Dracula_ this weekend. There is a copy in the library for viewing, so that way, you can gain a feel for the story, and for your characters. With that, let's do some drills, and we shall call it a day."

With that, they continued their class, although, throughout the announcements, Ahiru was rubbing her toes. Rue and the other girls who had already gone _en Pointe_ knew what was going on. They had sympathy for her, but they also knew that she had to go through this just as they did. It was a part of paying the dues. After the class, she went to the shower to clean up, and quickly took off the shoes. She was rubbing her toes, and seeing the first blisters that formed. "Harder than you thought, Ahiru-chan?" asked Rue.

Ahiru whispered, "It's better as Tutu."

Rue gently laughed, and said, "Well, drain the blisters, but don't take off the skin: it will just hurt more. You need to build up some callous on your toes. It helps keep your toes from hurting in time. Keep powder on them, even after class. You cannot go back to slippers now, because it will only ruin what you are trying to accomplish. So, what do you think?"

Ahiru said, "I think that the boys are getting over."

Every _en Pointe_ sister laughed in agreement to this, and they all got ready for the classroom half of the class, and the rest of the day.

Since it was a Friday, going out for ice cream would be no problem. Rue, Mary, the boys, and the Terrible Trio all went out and had a time. At some point, however, Billy and Mary were left alone to catch each other up on their lives, and make that bond. The results came back as positive, so Billy explained his set up financially, and said that the same thing would be set up for her. Eventually, Mai and Yuma excused themselves, as they said that they had a bit of homework to do, and they wanted to get ahead. That left the six together. Soon, it was time to go, and the six began to go back to the campus. However, at this point, Rue was snuggling with Mytho, and, interestingly enough, Mary began to get conversational with Fakir. Ahiru and Billy were bringing up the rear, and they walked close, but silently. They were both feeling a bit of anxiety, as they felt a bit of the romance in the air. They did not know what they wanted to do. Ahiru broke the ice by taking a chance, and took Billy's hand into hers. She felt Billy stiffen a bit, he being surprised at the gesture. Ahiru whispered, "Billy, are you shy?" smiling a bit. Billy blushed hard, and it was still visible in the twilight. She then said, as tenderly as she could, "There is nothing to be scared of. I don't bite."

Billy then felt a bit ashamed at his own fears. He had faced down some of the toughest villains the universe has had to offer, and yet he still had a problem with girls—even at 14. He apologized for his cowardice by returning a gentle squeeze to Ahiru's hand. Ahiru still did not know where it was going, but she figured that she should just go with the flow, and let the chips fall where they may. She then moved in closer, intertwined her arm to his, and walked shoulder to shoulder with him. Both of their hearts were racing, but they liked what they were feeling at that moment. However, the night was about to become a bit rough.

As they left the village, they had a dark stretch to navigate to get back to the school. When they were in the heart of it, it happened. Before they had a chance to react, Edel's minions came from everywhere. They were anthropomorphs of ravens, and were frightening to look at. They squawked, "We have you now! Now you give hearts," in a broken English. They had had their mouths covered before they could scream, so no one heard what was going on. The original four knew what the deal was, while Mary was frightened out of their wits. However, Billy was not going down without a fight. He found some flesh on the hand like wing covering his mouth and bit down hard. The raven-man let out a squawk of pain, and then Billy flipped his captor off, following up with a kick to just under and behind the beak that knocked out his opponent. Yet, the others were being dragged off to the woods, none of them able to make the change they needed to. Fakir and Mytho had three on the each of them as they retaliated with all they had. There were 13 there, not counting the unconscious one on the ground. Billy had nowhere to run to make a change, and realized that he had no choice if they were to have a chance to escape. Thus, he shouted, "SHAZAM!"

The area briefly lit up with lightning, and everyone stopped. The other five were flummoxed when they saw Captain Marvel standing where Billy had once stood. Marvel thundered, "LET THEM GO, NOW!"

With that, he flew into the fray, quickly freeing his friends. Mytho and Fakir were quickly dispatching the ones in front of them, as the Swan Sisters made their transformation. Mary ran from the fray to a safer vantage point behind a nearby tree. She was both amazed and confused as she watched. Her friends were superheroes, and her own brother was none other than Captain Marvel. Tutu had about four of them tangled up in the foliage, while Claire was being quite brutal with her antagonists. The boys had already taken care of their problem, and went to help the girls. Captain Marvel made short work out of his foes, and it amazed all of them when a fatal blow was struck. They transformed into common ravens when this happened. Apparently, Edel was making minions out of the local ravens. This could be trouble, depending on how long it took to make these foot soldiers. Either it was magic or twisted science, but one thing was certain: she was creating abominations to execute her vengeance. Marvel was betting on twisted science, considering what Batman had told him about the samples. When things were under control, everyone, including Mary, approached Captain Marvel. Claire said a bit crossly, "So…just when was it that you were going to tell us that you were Captain Marvel?"

Mytho interjected, and said, "And was this what you said you would tell us about in time?"

"Yes," said Marvel, "And I am sorry it had to be this way. I was waiting for a better time, and it was going to be soon. It would be better this way until I knew you had teamed up. You could have been at risk before this moment."

The others were still a bit skeptical, but Tutu seemed to understand. She said, "I think I know how you feel. These kinds of things are not what you bring up in mixed conversation, especially with people you have only known for a few days."

Mary then said, "Will someone please tell me what is going on!"

"C'mon, sis," said Marvel, "Let's go to the Take 5: we have a lot to discuss."

There was still time before bed check, so they had a long talk over sodas. They all shared their full stories, and then asked Mary to swear to tell no one for her own safety. She was exhausted, considering how she had been at the receiving end of a lot of information that weekend, and said, "This is going to take time to drink in, but I will swear."

Billy then said, "Looks to me that there is a new super team in town: the Secret Five."

"That name sounds a bit cheesy," said Rue.

"It fits, though," answered Billy, "considering all the secrets each one of us has borne."

They all put their hands in the middle, officially swearing to be there for the others if there ever was danger afoot to be vanquished. However, as this was happening, trouble walked in the door. An unruly bunch, about ten of them, walked into the café, and immediately started to demand service, and said that they had better not even hear about them paying for it. No one in the café recognized these people as students, and they were getting rough with people, as if they owned the place. When the proprietor tried to stop them, he was quickly pummeled. However, Billy recognized them, and even recognized a few faces, especially the one that looked like he was in charge. "Oh no," said Billy, "What are they doing here?"

Fakir asked, "You recognize them?"

"Yes, unfortunately," said Billy, "They're the Fawcett 126: a street gang. They must have gotten bored tonight, and decided this would be some easy pickings."

"What do we do?" asked Ahiru.

"Mary, slip to the back: there's going to be trouble," said Billy, "I'll distract them. You guys know what to do."

Everyone did as they were bidden, and Billy stepped up. "Conrad!" said Billy, "Fawcett too much trouble for you, or has Black Adam been too much of a headache for you?"

"Why do I recognize that voice?" said Conrad, "Wait, is that Batson?"

"What's it to you?" snapped Billy.

"Well, well, well: if it isn't the twinkle toes faggot!" said Conrad, "And just what are you doing here?"

"Going to school," said Billy.

"To, what, learn how to be more of a homo?" laughed Conrad?

"I suggest you leave before you get hurt," demanded Billy. At that, people were going under tables, expecting the worst. Conrad thundered, "You, and what army's going to stop me, faggot! Boys, waste 'em!"

At this, three of them pulled out pistols. Just as the rap "Jump Around" came up on the jukebox, the gunmen dropped their pistols as a black feather impaled the back of each man's hand. They screamed in pain as all the gangsters looked up and saw four oddly clad individuals looking very determined to put them down. One looked like an angel, and one looked like the ballerina from Hell. Two of them looked like something that walked out of the pages of _Ivanhoe_, and neither of them looked very friendly, each of them holding mop handles like a stave. In this brief moment of time that passed, the gang suddenly wanted to get out of there, but it was too late. In a flash, they were descended upon before any of them could either retrieve their pistols, or pull out those that had not yet been pulled. The Chess Knights were making quick work of those they engaged, while Claire was snapping ligaments at the elbow of a couple of others. Billy was handling himself well, and was making his way to Conrad. He had tangled with him a couple of years before, and put him in the hospital. This is why he was trying to be insulting of Billy: he knew better than to tangle with him directly. It was only because Conrad thought that the art students would make good targets that he was even willing to go 20 miles out of his way for this. He had no idea who he would encounter, and had no idea that it would be Billy Batson, much less this odd crew out of some renaissance fair. Now he realized what kind of a mistake it was to leave the safety of familiar turf, and wanted to get out of there. He did not care if he abandoned his friends, just as long has he did not have to battle Batson again, or any of what he considered freaks, for that matter. He started to make his way to the back, hoping to slip out that way before the cops got there, and ran right into Tutu. She was not fighting as much as she was using the Tai Chi that she had learned to evade the attacks, and let the evasion cause her attackers to stumble into one another, and take them out. Tutu may not have liked to fight, but that made her no less aggressive. She parried the last attacker into a cooler door, and bumped into Conrad. Conrad quickly put both hands to either side of her, and said, "Well, Hello mama!"

He then figured that it might be good to take a hostage, and maybe get a little in the process. Tutu saw the glint in his eye, and had an idea of what he intended, so she quickly ducked out from under his arms and took the fifth position, looking coquettish. "Oh, you are a tease!" he said, now thinking that this chick may not be so resistant. However, she made the "dance with me" gesture, and verbalized it, considering that he may know nothing about ballet. Conrad bit, and said, "What ever you say," as he took her hand. However, instead of pulling her towards him forcibly, as he had intended, he locked up, feeling a sensation of warmth and peace that he had never felt before. Now telepathically, she said to him, in a calm and kind voice, "You poor soul, you look so tired from your efforts today. You need some rest. Why not take a nap?"

"Yes, take a nap," he said dreamily, and collapsed to the floor, fast asleep. By this point, the campus security and police arrived. They were shocked by what they saw. They saw ten gangsters on the floor, screaming in pain, or unconscious, as well as some of the strangest clad people that they had ever seen. They were about to tell them to put their hands up, when they saw Claire, and recognized her from the fire two nights earlier, and as one that worked with Captain Marvel. After asking for an explanation, plenty of witnesses were giving testimony. All this time, news reporters from the local paper and WHIZ were everywhere, snapping pictures, asking questions, and trying to get to know these new heroes a bit better. When asked who they were, Black Knight said in his grim fashion, "The Secret Five."

"I only see four of you," said one reporter.

"Do we have to all be here?" asked Black Knight.

"I'm sorry I asked," said the reporter.

"Just to help you, the fifth is Captain Marvel," said White Knight.

When the reporters from WHIZ heard that, they were ablaze with a completely new battery of questions. At this, Billy stepped up. The WHIZ reporters all recognized him, and were eager to hear what he had to say. Billy said, "Captain Marvel is a busy man. He may have been elsewhere, handling some other crisis. Remember: he is a member of the Justice League."

"Do you think he can split his time like that," asked another reporter.

"Hey," answered Billy, "He's Captain Marvel. I think he can handle it."

With that, the gangsters were being hauled off. Conrad was protesting all of this as they dragged him out, and was saying that he would be out in a week, mocking the police. However, the constable said, "I'm sorry, son, but you're not in Fawcett city anymore. The charges we are going to lay on you are enough to where you will not see the light of day for a long time: illegal possession of firearms, use of them, assault, trespassing, attempted murder, and for you, from her testimony, (pointing at Tutu,) attempted rape."

"What!" screamed Conrad, "Attempted rape? But she… When I get out, I'm gonna kill you, witch! You won't outlive this! You're gonna die! You're gonna die!"

All this was happening as they were trying to drag him off. However, the officers had a much less pleasant way of putting him to sleep, as the tasered him to subdue his struggling. White Knight apologized for any damages to Mr. Johansen, who had come to investigate, but he said that it was okay. It was better that this happened rather than have one of his students get hurt, or worse. With that, the team took their leave, except for Billy, who was restrained by Mr. Johansen. He asked, "I hear you were in the thick of it."

"Yes, sir, I was," said Billy, not certain of where it was going. Mr. Johansen then said, "Son, I understand defending yourself, but I hear that you almost got shot."

"Well, they did pull guns on me," answered Billy.

"Don't you think that was foolish?"

"I just would rather increase my odds of surviving rather than just sitting there and letting things happen."

"Well, son, please be careful! We cannot all be Captain Marvel."

"No, I guess we can't," said Billy, stifling a laugh.

"Oh, before you go, please tell me: how did it feel to sock one of that riff-raff?"

"Uh, it felt pretty good."

"Good, you may leave now."

Billy realized then that the headmaster essentially told him, "Good boy, and good job: don't do it again!"

From that day forward, that incident would forever be known as the Great Take 5 Smack Down.

Billy caught up with the crew, and said, "Tomorrow, I have some homework to do, but I think we need to meet tomorrow, because I have a few ideas we need to discuss, and I have to mention something I learned about the fire the other night. So, let's meet at lunch, okay?"

They all agreed on this, and began to break up to the dorms. Ahiru and Billy stood between the two dorms on the mall walkway, briefly chatting. "You were wonderful tonight," said Ahiru.

"In what way: as Marvel, or as myself?" asked Billy.

"Both," answered Ahiru, "Besides, aren't you one and the same?"

"I guess you can say that," said Billy, "I also should apologize for not telling you sooner. I wasn't sure when the right time would be, or who around you I could trust."

"That's alright, Billy," said Ahiru, semi-cooing her response.

"Hey, you were pretty awesome yourself," said Billy.

"That was Tutu, not me," said Ahiru. Billy could not resist. He responded, "Aren't you…" and then they both said at the same time, "…one and the same?"

They both got a big belly laugh from this. When they stopped, they noticed that they were both holding each other's hands in their own. This brought out suddenly an awkward situation, in that neither of them knew just how to continue with this. They stood there looking at each other, occasionally turning their glances away, but always coming back to each other. Then Billy broke the silence, and said, "Well, I guess its time to go."

"Yeah," said Ahiru, "It sure is," but neither made a move to go away. "Well, good night, and sleep well," said Billy.

"You too," said Ahiru, and neither one moved again. "Okay, one of us has to go," said Billy.

"Okay," said Ahiru, but there both stood. They chuckled, calmed, and went back to that state where electricity was buzzing between them. "Okay, let's count to three," said Billy, and they both counted three. There they remained. "You didn't move," said Billy.

"I was kind of waiting for you to move," said Ahiru.

All of this did not escape the gaze of Rue, standing on the male dorm stoop with Mytho, where they were saying their own goodbyes, and not so bashfully. Rue nudged Mytho, and said, "Look at that."

"How long have they been like that?" asked Mytho.

"I'd say for about a good five minutes," answered Rue, "They keep trying to go their ways, and not moving."

"Just like we were at that age, eh _Liebling_?" said Mytho.

"Just the same," said Rue, who then began to move toward things, saying as she left, "It looks like I'm going to have to nudge them in the right direction."

With that, she gave Mytho a quick peck, and stroked his face as she walked away. She walked right by the two of them, and pushed her finger into the ribs of Ahiru just enough to get her attention, and said to her out of the corner of the mouth, "Just kiss him, would you?"

After hearing this, Ahiru began to hem and haw a bit, and then quickly gave Billy a peck. Billy was flabbergasted. No girl had ever kissed him before; not even Cissy Sommerly, his first girlfriend. Ahiru then said, "Um…good night," and turned to leave. Billy suddenly shook himself out of it; pulled her back, saying, "Wait." At that, he pulled her in, and planted a big kiss on her. It was not anything beyond the lips, but it was done with enough passion to get the point across. Billy then said, "Good night, Baby Duck," and ran back to the dorm. Rue was impressed by how he was able to get over his bashful side and do what he did. Ahiru stood there staring at the boy's dorm where Billy had gone in for a good minute or two, standing there with her right leg hanging slack, foot turned in on the toe of her shoe. She then pirouetted, exclaiming a gleeful "Whee!" as she half ran, half-floated back to her dorm. A boy had kissed her, and it was more than just a peck, for the first time. She was on cloud nine. Rue was so happy for Ahiru: she was allowed to be Tutu again for as long as she wanted, was able to help people, and found a boy that just might be the one for her. Despite the two fights that night, it had been a grand evening.


	7. Chapter 7

**VII**

The next day at lunch, they met in a corner of the cafeteria, knowing that most of the students did not use the dining hall for their meals on the weekend, and thus, they would have a bit more privacy. Mary was asked to come along, because she knew the secrets of the band, and she needed to be let in on what was discussed, for her personal safety could depend on the knowledge. "So, what do you have?" Fakir asked Billy.

"First of all, those ash samples I took from the fire: I took them to a trusted colleague, and he said it was the oddest thing that he had ever seen," answered Billy, "The ashes were animal based and avian. He could not peg down the species, but he did say it was from the same family from which crows and magpies come."

"And ravens," added Rue.

"Yes, that too," said Billy, "However; he also said that there was a mix of vegetable matter involved as well. The ashes were too far gone to identify the plants, but one thing that he knew for sure was that there was a residue in the mix that showed a violent chemical reaction to the bird's metabolism."

"So, what we may be looking at is the fact that the ravens ate something that caused them to combust?" asked Mytho.

"That's about the size of it," said Billy, "though I would not imagine right away. It probably took sometime to work through the system, by which point, whatever they had eaten caused them to burst into flames. They were feather covered, walking, and organic time bombs."

"Could she do it again?" asked Ahiru, knowing that she always fed her bird friends every morning.

"Well, the only thing I can think is this": answered Billy, "because it was a business, and they kept their supplies in the basement, if they left the door open for any length of time, they could have slipped in. It all depends. If you're worried about what could happen here, it is highly unlikely, because there are too many people around in the facilities that would shoo them out, even if they were sent programmed to come in. If they are not programmed, their own natural fears would keep them out seeing the number of people around at any given time."

"I think I'll need to buy a bird feeder," said Ahiru, "and be watchful for ravens."

"What do you mean?" asked Billy.

"Well, they are so tame around me," answered Ahiru, "that they come right in when I open the window to set out the seed I feed them everyday. If I do it they way that I've been, that could be trouble, because anything could slip in when my back is turned."

"I guess that's a sacrifice that has to be made," said Rue, patting her on the head in a consoling way.

"What I'm concerned about," commented Mary, "is how those raven-men, for the lack of a better term, came out, and what they changed into if they received a fatal blow. Are there more?"

"It would seem to me," said Fakir, "that she forms them out of the ravens she has around. The question is: how long does it take to form them, and how many can she raise up at one time."

"That is a good question," Billy agreed, "because, if it is quickly, we are going to have to act fast, and strike at the source as soon as possible. If that's the case, we are definitely going to have to call in reinforcements. I am now sorry I didn't take up one of the carcasses to be analyzed by my colleague."

"Who is this colleague?" asked Mytho.

"It's none other than the Batman," said Billy, "The Dark Knight Detective."

"Well, it only happened last night, bro," said Mary, "There may still be a body or two that hasn't been taken by the wildlife."

"That's a great idea," said Billy, "I'll get right on that after this."

"Was there anything else?" asked Rue.

"Oh yes, there was," said Billy, "We are going to need a way to communicate with one another easily, and track one another when we need to have us together, or when one of us is in trouble. So, anyone got any ideas?"

Ahiru though for a minute, and then said, "Too bad we don't have our own cell phone company."

Mytho then said, "Say! That would not be a bad idea. Could that be done?"

"Maybe there could be a way to disguise them as cell phones," said Fakir.

"I'll tell you what," said Billy, "If I can find a carcass, I will present this to my colleagues in New York City, and maybe they can come up with something."

"New York City!" exclaimed Ahiru, "That's a long way!"

"Not for Captain Marvel," smiled Billy.

"Whose in New York?" asked Mary.

"The Justice League of America," answered Billy, "Besides, I need to tell them about us anyway. Batman suggested that, if things ever got that bad here, I should not even hesitate to call for help. They just need to know who you are, and what you are all about. I would love to take you there, but it would be difficult to carry everyone. I only have so many limbs. Maybe one day, we can make it happen."

"Is there anything else?" asked Rue.

"Oh, yes," said Billy, "I recall that there was a concern on just how much we act as heroes. Well, the best thing that I can tell you is this: in our situation, and in most situations, being a super is not something you slot time in your day to be devoted to, with exceptions, but is something that just happens. We act as the need arises. Each of us has the ability to act on our own in many situations. However, this is why we need those communicators. If something comes up that we need more help with, we can call for help. Whoever is nearest, and most capable at that moment, can come to the other's aid. That is normally how it is done. That's about it. Any questions?"

"Yes," said Fakir, "Is there going to be anyone in charge?

"Well, I know that I have been acting kind of like a leader of sorts," said Billy, "but that's only because I've been at it for a spell. If there is a leader to this team, that will show itself in time. Thus, we don't have one just yet. However, I can see the need for someone to have the final word, because we do not want the situation of 'too many chiefs, and not enough Indians.' For now, let's just live our lives, look out for one another, and act when the need arises. Well, that's it; I'm going to go see what I can do."

With that, they all broke up.

Billy went out to the spot of the battle from the night before, and found that there were still a couple of ravens tangled in the foliage that Tutu caused to arise and ensnare them. He changed to Captain Marvel, took one of the dead birds, and took off for New York. When he got there, the four founding members—Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Batman—were there attending to a few matters, leaving the weekend watch to the junior members. They were quite pleased to see their friend, and asked all kinds of questions about these new heroes in the school that he was attending. Word had already gotten to New York about the Secret 5, and they were curious as to what they were all about. Captain Marvel filled them in on that, the current crisis the team faced, and presented the carcass for the systems there in the Hall of Justice to analyze, as well as told them of the need for the communicators, and the design. Wonder Woman seemed to understand the danger, considering the supernatural forces that she and her Amazon sisters had to deal with over the centuries. In fact, this Raven sounded familiar. She said that she would visit, or at least communicate with, Paradise Island, go into the archives, and see if this was a problem they dealt with before. Superman then said, "Say, why don't I at least come back with you to meet the team. That way I can get to know them, and then fill the rest of the league in. Therefore, when you do come, I can introduce them properly."

"Well, tonight, we are meeting with Uncle Dudley for dinner, and maybe you can stop by then," said Billy.

"That sounds good," said Superman, "But, what about your sister."

"Well," said Marvel, "Due to certain circumstances, she knows about the whole thing, she knows who everyone is, and so on, so we include her in things. Since she knows, her life may in danger, and we have to let her in on our actions for her own protection."

"That sounds like a plan," said Superman, "So, what time tonight would be best?"

"I'd say about 7 o'clock," answered Billy.

They finished dinner, and then there was time for talk, and everyone to share their lives and times. Before Superman arrived, Uncle Dudley pulled out a DVD of _Braham Stoker's Dracula,_ because Billy had mentioned the upcoming ballet to him, and said that they needed to see something like that to get a feel for the characters. This way, they could fulfill Mr. Katt's assignment, and be ready to start putting the show together. At about five to seven, Billy announced that it would be best for everyone to be in costume for Superman's arrival. Like clockwork, Superman was there in all his splendor with a sack in his hand. He then looked at the crew, and said, "Well, those are certainly interesting costumes you're all wearing."

"All is courtesy of the old wizard," answered Marvel.

"Well, I like the knights there," said Superman, "But most people would not have thought about being ballerinas as heroes. Some would look at the two of you and think that you would be easy picking."

"That's the beauty of it, Superman darling," said Claire, "Underestimation is the key."

"So, what can you guys do?" asked Superman.

"Well, you already know about me," said Marvel, "But here are the rest. These two are the Chess Knights: the Black Knight and the white Knight. White Knight is an empath, a healer, and an excellent fighter. The Black Knight is our fighter and detective. He is a fine physical specimen, and an excellent fighter. These two are the Swan sisters: Princesses Claire and Tutu. Both have certain supernatural gifts, can effect plant life, and Claire is the more offensive of the two, and Tutu is more of the defensive. Claire can also affect the wind like a weapon, and throw black feathers like darts. Tutu has the ability to subdue minds when she can make physical contact. She can either subdue a foe into a weak mass of gelatin, or use it to council someone to better his or her lives. As she likes to say, 'I dance to guide your heart.'"

"Is there a leader?" asked Superman.

"We really haven't decided on this one yet," said Marvel, "although I've kind of been calling the shots because of my experience."

"Sounds like you have this down," said Superman, "However, with what I have to tell you, you may want to consider asking for more help to stop what you may be facing. The raven Marvel brought us was one that had been organically altered. Whatever this Edel has been feeding them causes a genetic change in them, causing them to convert into what you had to face."

"There's that herb thing again," said Black Knight.

"Apparently, she seems to be some kind of organic alchemist," said Superman, "However, there is some good news out of this. The herbs she uses are not easy to gather. Therefore, if she wishes to act through this, then it is not easy."

Black Knight interjected here, and said, "Therefore, if she wishes to act through this method, she has to be sure it is the right time."

"Exactly," said Superman, "And the other thing about it is that it takes about a week for the conversion to take place. She actually uses some blood in the mix, although it is hard to identify what kind of blood it is. Its nothing like anything our computers have ever seen. Wonder Woman has gone to Paradise Island to investigate the Raven to see if there are any legends in their archives about this spirit."

"So, how shall we be able to tell when some kind of action is coming," asked Claire.

"Its simple," said Black Knight, "If there is a sudden upsurge in raven population, and then a sever drop, that is the time we all need to be on our toes."

"Then if I may suggest," said Tutu, "If that should happen, we all need to be in pairs at least."

"That is a great idea," said Mytho.

"Sounds good to me," said Superman. Then he suddenly remembered the sack that he had brought. "Oh, I almost forgot."

He opened the sack, and handed out a set of cell phones. He then said, "These are not standard cell phones. You cannot make calls on these except to each other."

Superman then began to explain how the phones worked, "Numbers 1-6 correspond to each one of you. Billy is number one, Tutu is two, Claire is three, Black Knight is four, White Knight is five, and Mary is six."

"How come I get one?" asked Mary.

"It's always good for someone like you who knows about all you do to be an extra set of eyes and ears," said Superman, "One who is not a hero is not as suspicious, and is not thought of as helping a superhero team, so that person may not be watched as closely. You are actually valuable to the team."

"So, maybe we should be the Secret Six?" joked Mary.

"Maybe its not so funny," said Black Knight, "We'll have to consider that."

Superman then went on to deal with the functions, "If there is ever an emergency, and you need to summon everyone quickly, press down on the "call" button before pushing any buttons. That will cause an alarm to occur. Your phones will vibrate, so as not to cause any undue attention towards it, and then a map will come up on the display showing your locations, each one's number marking location. If it is that dire a situation, dial 911, and that will summon the Justice League. Those heroes not actively engaged in something at that point are then obligated to come to your aid, as they would with any member."

"Are we then members?" asked Tutu.

"Consider it a probationary period," said Superman, "We want to watch you, and see you in action somewhat. Those phones will record your activities, and allow us to analyze your actions. When the opportunity comes for you to come to New York, you can meet the league, and we can then tutor you, as we do for all junior heroes."

"Looks like we're official," declared Marvel.

"Well, I hope…," said Superman, but then he stopped short, as if he were listening to something, "Uh oh!" he exclaimed, "Looks like I'm needed, gang. Oh, by the way, when you hit 'menu,' a list of the heroes' numbers come up, and you can contact specific heroes when you have a need. However, wait until you have met the rest of the league before you use that function, because it could get a bit confusing. Take care, kids!"

With that, he was gone like a shot. With the business tended to, Marvel said, "Well, let's go back to normal. I brought my guitar along, and I thought we could do a bit of singing out back."

"Sounds like a great idea, my boy," said Dudley, "I can even get the fire pit going, and we can sit there, roast a few marshmallows, and whatnot."

They then went back to normal, went out back, and enjoyed the beautiful evening. Billy taught them songs, as Rue and the boys taught some native folk songs. One of them caught Billy's attention—_Mus I Denn_—and he thus started to sing Elvis' rendition to the tune, and merged it with the traditional song. After that, they sat and just chatted for a while, and Billy began to teach them a ccapella harmonizing. He was surprised at how good voices everyone had, and wondered if some of them missed their callings. As they talked, Ahiru inched up to Billy, and intertwined her arm with his, as she set her head on his shoulder. Billy stiffened at this, and Ahiru said, "Will you relax, Rubber Duck?"

"I'm sorry," Billy whispered, and he did relax some. However, his still remaining shyness bothered her a bit. This did not escape Mary's notice, and she felt bad for Ahiru. She then figured that she would have to do something about it. Meanwhile, Mary was beginning to warm to Fakir, as it seemed their conversations were becoming more frequent, and more intimate. Mary was beginning to wonder if pursuing him would be a good thing. Moreover, Fakir was beginning to see an attraction in Mary, in that, she was pretty, intelligent, and seemed to have a "take charge" attitude that he liked in people: someone with a good head on his or her shoulders. However, he was not sure how far it should go at this point. He kept reminding himself that, not only was this Billy's sister, but Captain Marvel's, in a sense, as well. He did not want to take a chance at angering that side of Billy for a wrong move he might make. There would be no telling what could happen, not just because Billy was an expert fighter, but also because Captain Marvel could drive him into the ground like a tent stake with his left eyelid if he wanted.

Uncle Dudley dropped them off at the school, and they all started back for their rooms. However, Mary pulled Billy aside, and took him out of earshot of the others. She then asked him, "What is your problem with girls? Don't you know that she likes you?"

Billy hung his head, knowing that it was his overall shyness that had splintered apart his relationship with Cissy, along with trying to juggle that relationship with Captain Marvel. He finally said, "I guess I just don't know how to act around girls."

Mary did not understand why this was so. She asked, "How is that possible? I thought that was ingrained in all boys."

"Well," Billy said, dejectedly, "When you spend the first eleven years of your life just trying to make sure you see another day, learning about things like that really do not find their way into your agenda."

Mary was now saddened a bit for having asked. She realized that, having never had an example before him, he lacked a bit in some of the social graces: how to treat a woman being one of them. Mary then bid Billy to sit on the stoop in front of the boy's dorm, and got ready to give him an education. "First of all," she said, "one thing that you have to realize is that the heads of boys and girls are wired differently."

Billy looked at her a bit confused. She then said, "Hold on, I'll explain. This is hard for me, as a girl, to admit, but females are more emotional. We tend to think with our emotions more than with rational thought. Guys are the other way around. This is why men and women compliment each other. Another thing to know is that girls are more tactile with one another. They hug, peck cheeks, hold hands, and snuggle up sometimes: nothing romantic, it's just how it is."

Now Billy really looked at her funny. She said, "Trust me, its nothing weird. We not only express our emotions to one another verbally, but we also—for the lack of a better term—talk with our bodies. Think about this: men and women in ballet try to tell a story through dance rather than through words, right? Well, have you noticed that the dances the females are given to do are more expressive? That's the reason why. This expressing emotion in this way makes a female more…well…feminine."

"So, how does this play in to me?" asked Billy, more curious now than before.

"Normally," Mary continued, "Girls are not so expressive with boys, and do not like boys that they are merely acquaintances with to touch them. For some reason, we just know that the touch a boy gives has different meaning. Don't ask me why this is, it just is. The only time that this is, is when we do something for which touching is required: both parties know that there is nothing behind it, because it is for practical reasons. In truth, it's always best for a female to initiate touching."

"Why are you going through this spiel about touching?" said Billy.

"You have to understand that being tactile is one of the ways that we girls communicate," answered Mary, "In fact, if a girl you have known for a time—be it a short or a long time—becomes tactile, she is saying that she is comfortable around you, and considers you a friend. This doesn't always mean romance. It just means that you are considered a friend, and that she trusts you."

"But Ahiru snuggles up to me, wraps her arm in mine, leans her head on my shoulder," said Billy, "We've only known each other for a few days. I grant you, a lot has happened in these few days, but I didn't think that she would warm to me so quickly."

"Sometimes," said Mary, "If you do things to demonstrate your character early on, it doesn't take long for things to happen. Think about it: in these past few days, you have taught her about music, Tai Chi, gave her the chance to be a superhero again, fought side by side together, and, I think you have actually helped her to think about herself more positively. Rue tells me that she has not had a lot of confidence in herself before this, and it really showed in her behavior. What you have done, without realizing it, is given her every reason to believe in herself, and think of herself as some one who is important and loved in a way that the others never could. Believe me, Billy: girls dig that about guys! Now, it may not go further than this, and again, you have to let her dictate that. You have to let her set the pace. We girls hate to be rushed into things like this. If it goes no further, and she still wants to be tactile, just take it in stride, and go no further than she would want. That is the best way to have a good male/female friendship."

"How can I find out how far to go?" asked Billy, "I just don't think walking up to her and saying, 'Hi Ahiru: how far do you want to take this relationship,' is the way to go."

"Have you tried a gift?" asked Mary.

"What will that do?" he asked in return.

"You watch to see the way she reacts to it," she answered, "This will be a good gauge. If you are still not sure, I'll decipher her reaction. In fact, just to help you, what I think you should do is get a few things for her, just to say, 'I'm sorry for the way I've acted,' without actually saying it. A hat, a few articles of clothing, maybe a plush toy, along with flowers and chocolates, is helpful, especially the chocolates. Believe me: it doesn't matter if she is on a diet: if it is chocolates from a guy, she will devour them. Almost all girls are chocoholics, no matter what anyone tells you!"

"So, what do I do now?" asked Billy.

"Tell you what," said Mary, "How much homework do you have?"

"I'm all done," he answered.

"Well, I'm going to go get it done right now. I'm also going to get Ahiru's sizes, and tomorrow, we are going shopping. Be ready to go bright and early!"

The next morning, Billy got a call on his "cell phone" at about 7 o'clock. He was only halfway ready to go, and had to jump up quickly and grab the phone. He assumed it was an emergency, but it was actually Mary standing outside. "What's keeping you, lazy bones?" she said, "Get down here!"

"Hold on, I'm almost ready," he said, "I hope this is nothing formal: I'm only wearing jeans and a tee-shirt."  
"That's fine," she said, "Just get down here: daylight's wasting."

He came down, and they both went into the shop district of the town. The first placed they passed was a gift shop, and in the window, Billy spied a cute, yellow, plush toy duck about the size of a teddy bear. He said, "I have to start with that!"

"Okay," said Mary, quite pleased, "That's a good start. Do ducks have a significant meaning to her?"

"Oh, you bet they do!" he said. With that, they went in. He asked the shopkeeper about the duck, and then noticed that they did jewelry there. That gave Billy and idea. Finding a pink semiprecious stone that was about the right shape, he asked, "Could you make this into a necklace?"

The shopkeeper said, "I sure can, how would you like it?"

He described the pendant that she currently wore, and then said that he was going to place it on the duck. Thus, the keeper should fit the chain for the duck. Billy also noticed the flowers and chocolates, and said, "I'll be back later for this, and a couple of other things, okay?"

"Sounds fine to me," said the shopkeeper, and Mary and Billy moved on to the next store. It was a young miss' clothing store, and it had about everything. They also had dance clothes, considering the close proximity of the school. Here, Mary took over. The shopkeeper came up and asked if they needed any help. Mary explained what the mission was, and the shopkeeper was as pleased as punch to help. At that, she took the two of them around the shop, showing them all kinds of things that she figured would look nice. At that, the shopkeeper asked for the girl's sizes, and then a description of Ahiru. Mary then said, "In this case, it is best to find modest things. You don't want to give of the wrong ideas. Now, what to buy should be simple for you: just pick what you think is pretty on her."

"Keep in mind the hair color and her complexion," added the shopkeeper, "Let me know what you want to get her, and I will try to find that to try to match her colors."

Mary then said, "Also think about this: what does she not have that you think would look nice?"

Billy thought for a moment, and then said, "You know, I have not yet seen her in any dresses or skirts, other than the school uniform."

"Then let's start there," said the shopkeeper. After being shown several items, Billy settled on a few white, pink, and blue blouses, matching skirts, a couple of casual dresses, and a calf-length skirt that had an extension akin to the top half of men's overalls. The shopkeeper insisted on a broad brimmed hat that matched, and what she said would just complete the outfit properly. Of course, there had to be shoes to go with it, and they got those as well. They also got her some tights, leotards, and silk skirts with the same color schemes for practice. The shopkeeper then became concerned that this may be more than could be paid, but then almost gave her a stroke when he was able to pay for the whole deal _in cash_! Both Billy and Mary had bags and boxes galore, and they looked like a couple of fashion show refugees. They stopped back in the gift shop, retrieved the duck and pendant, and got the chocolates and flowers. As they were walking back, Billy wondered if this was overkill. Mary assured him that it was not, because girls love it when a guy dotes over her like this. They then returned to the girl's dorm, which was, by this time, showing life. Imagine the surprise of the few girls that were hanging around outside when they saw the two of them walking up the stoop. At first, they thought that all this was Mary. They were even more curious when Mary went in to fetch Ahiru, and Billy stood outside, arranging everything, and then standing there with the flowers in his left hand, and the chocolates, with the duck set on top, in his right hand. In about five minutes, (what seemed like an hour to Billy,) Mary and Ahiru emerged. Ahiru's eyes almost popped out of her head. Billy then extended her the flowers and said, "I've been acting like a jerk lately, and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

He then handed her the chocolates, and the duck. She was stunned. She did not know what to say or do. "Billy," she said, "You really weren't acting like…I mean, you didn't do anything wrong…well, you did shy away…but you kissed me…but you didn't have to…I mean…"

She locked up, at a loss for words for the first time in a long time. She then looked at the plush toy, and realized that the duck was wearing a replica of the pendant she now wore, and she knew that he put some care into what he did. Billy then said, "I really think I like you a lot, Baby Duck."

At this, tears started to well up in her eyes, and somehow managing to keep the items in her hands, caught him hard in a bear hug. It was so hard that she almost tackled him, and took the both of them off the stoop. "Billy," she sobbed, "No one has ever been this nice to me. I have so few friends. Daddy and Mommy are so far away. I just wish you knew how much this means to me."

Billy returned the embrace, hugging her hard, and saying, "I think I do, Baby Duck, I think I do."

There were some that wanted to applaud, but then they heard the exchange, and suddenly felt lower than dirt. Could it be that they should have taken time to get to know the awkward girl, and not have been so self-centered in their own cares about school that they could not help this girl find her skills, and herself? Mary noticed that Rue had come in just as Billy had given the toy and the candy, and walked up to her. As she did, she winked at Billy, and he smiled in return. Rue asked Mary what was going on, and Mary said that she had just given lessons on being a gentleman, and this was the result. When Rue saw all the things around, and the things in her hand, as well as heard the words of Ahiru, her heart leapt for joy. The little girl was becoming a woman right before her eyes, and she had found someone that gave her the care she so desired from others, and multiplied it by all those that could have been there for her, and were too stuck up to have anything to do with her. She was like that at one time, but life and fate had taught her differently. When the two of them finally separated, Billy asked, "I want to do something for the fall variety show, and I want to do the _pas de deux_ with you."  
Ahiru smiled past the tears, and said, "I'd love to!"

He then asked, "There is also a dance this coming Friday. I would ask you to go, but some of the guys in the dorm in the music school heard my playing and singing, so they want me to join the band. I said, "Yes," but that means I'll be on stage and it would be awkward to ask you to go with me when I will be spending most of my time playing the music, not dancing to it."

"That would be hard," she said, and then said, "Well, we can call it a half-date, if you could call it that. I mean, you can take me, and we can dance when we can, and you can bring me back."

This was her usual chattering way, but it seemed more in control this time, that one thought flowed to the other, and it was understandable. This was having quite an effect on her. Billy said, "Okay, I guess it's a half-date then. I tell you what: I'll pick you up at five, we can go downtown to eat,—my treat—and then we can go to the dance."

Rue, to be cautious about things said, "Can Mytho and I join you two?"

Normally, Ahiru would have had no problem with this, but she seemed a little annoyed by this. "What did I do wrong, Rue?" she asked.

Rue smiled and stroked her cheek, and said, "You did nothing wrong, sis. I just think…"

She paused, trying to find some other reason to go than just being a mother hen. She then continued, "I just think that, considering _certain situations_, it would be better to go as four."

Ahiru noticed the hint, and said, "Okay, that would be fine."

"So, its 5 o'clock, Billy?" asked Rue.

"Five it is," said Billy.

Rue and Mary then both started to help Ahiru with all her things, but then to their surprise, all the other girls around then started to pick up her things, and offered to help as well. Then one girl suggested that they go to the day room, and look at all the nice things she had gotten, and they all agreed. Then, Ahiru turned around and said, "Thank you, Billy," and kissed him gently, and Billy did not stiffen up this time, but received it, and returned it. Again, it was nothing more than a prolonged peck, but this time, it was done with all the tenderness and care of a full-fledged grown-up kiss. She stroked Billy's hair, and then went inside. This time, it was Billy floating two feet off the ground to the room. Now, he was beaming!


	8. Chapter 8

**VIII**

Monday came in, and the team all came in to work on Tai Chi with Billy for the first half hour. Then Billy also suggested that they think about what they were going to do for the variety show. Rue and Mytho heard this, and suggested that they do something in connection with it. At this, Mary asked Fakir if he wanted to join in. Everyone thought that Fakir would balk at this, considering that he normally liked to do just the shows. However, he actually accepted the idea. Billy made a suggestion for Mytho and Rue for a song, and played Queen's _Save Me_. As they listened, they began to do some rudimentary steps to it in between mentioning subtle changes here and there, as they grew familiar with the lyrics. For Fakir and Mary, it was a little harder, but then Billy pulled out _Round and Round_ as sung by Perry Como and thought that might work. Mary liked the steady rhythm of the song, and Fakir liked the fact that it was short and to the point. Billy then played _That's Amore_ as sung by Dean Martin. He started with a few steps in the slow opening, then did a spinning jump in the air, landed, and then went to a demi-point snappily as he spun his hands over his head, and then snapped his right hand forward to Ahiru, with his left hand on his hip. She giggled and then took his hand as they started to do a ballet waltz around the room, throwing in a move here and there, trying to feel out the song. It was during this that Mr. Katt came in, looking to prepare for the class. As the song finished, everyone greeted their instructor, and he then said, "Mr. Batson, could you please play that song again, and do what you did to start the dance? Fakir, please be prepared to pause the song at my command."

Billy and Ahiru were not sure what Mr. Katt had in mind, but they did as he said. When Billy opened up, Mr. Katt had the music stopped, and said, "Instead of that, Do a couple of leaps as if you were going to do a _manege_, but then do the _pose _and invitation at that point. Give it a try."

Billy did this, and he had to admit that it did look better. Then Mr. Katt said, "Pause, please. Now do that again, and this time, listen closely for my commands. I wouldn't expect you to execute it perfectly at first, but if Rue would be so kind to jot down the moves, and at what point they happen, you can practice it."

They began again, and Mr. Katt was acting like a ballet version of a square dance caller, and helping them work out a routine. It was a bit rough, but it seemed to work out well. "I assume that you were working this out for the variety show?" asked Mr. Katt.

Billy smiled and said, "Yes, that's true. So were the others. We were thinking about doing three dances strung together."

Mr. Katt was pleased with what he was seeing. They were already trying to apply what they had been taught. He only wished all his students were so ambitious. "In your level, learning how to put together routines is part of the class, but I see that you are trying to make it happen now. I tell you three what: Mr. Batson, if you could give me copies of the songs that you three are doing, and I'll see if I can help you put the dances together, and in a logical order. Normally, the variety show is for fun, but, if you six can do well, I will consider this as extra credit."

They were pleased. This was a different Mr. Katt than Ahiru was used to seeing. He was still riding her, but the threats of marriage as punishment, (which was an odd eccentricity of Mr. Katt,) were becoming fewer and fewer. She liked this Mr. Katt. Ahiru then said, "I am grateful that you want to help us, but I was just curious as to why you want to."

"Miss Arima," answered Mr. Katt, "What I am now seeing out of you, and your friends here, are some students who have caught the essence of what I have been trying to teach all this time. You are dancing right now for the sheer joy of it. I would then ask you: does it seem like hard work?"

"No," answered Ahiru.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Mr. Katt, "Then never lose sight of that. When you do it for the joy of the dance, then even the hard work and practice, the drills, and the sore feet and muscles are not even a factor anymore. Then the work does not seem like work anymore, and this will cause you to advance faster. Never lose that spirit, because then, even the work will seem like fun!"

The six of them thanked him graciously, and then Billy said, "I'll slip the CD under your office door later this afternoon."

"Oh, another thing, kids, before we start," said Mr. Katt, "There is one thing I need to mention: it is good that you are finding dance partners, because when you enter an adult production company, you will be assigned a partner that you will work with almost exclusively. The reason for this is that, when it comes time for shows, it is easier to cast people, and your execution will be to perfection. This is because you will be so used to that person, you will be able to anticipate each other's moves, and keep things flowing smoothly. You may ask, 'What if I have to dance with another partner in a show?' Well, that may be a bit awkward. However, because you have been working with a partner for so long, you would know, roughly, what would be expected of you when it came time to learn the dance, and you will be able to adapt quickly to one another. Therefore, I would now suggest that each of you maintain the partners you have obtained, at least for the remainder of the school year, and begin to learn the process like this. This will give you a jump on things years later. Tomorrow, I will try to come in early, and help you other four with your variations, if you like."

"We'd love it!" the others exclaimed.

"Excellent! Now, let's get ready for class!"

Later that day, Billy slipped in the music, and the next day, Mr. Katt said that the numbers should run from _That's Amore_, to _Round and Round_, finished up with _Save Me_. Billy took his laptop to a corner of the dance room while the others worked on their variations. During rehearsals, they were starting to get the feel of how creepy this ballet was going to be. This was going to be advertised, as "ballet like you never pictured it." The class knew that this had the potential to scare the pants off the people. People had better be ready for a wild ride.

As soon as the last class was over, Ahiru then rushed back to her room where Mai and Yuma were waiting for her. Instead of just getting a shower and dressing in civvies, as Ahiru had though, Mai and Yuma had set up a makeshift spa in the room. Ahiru opened the door and said, "Hi, gang, I…" and that was all she got out of her mouth. She was yanked in, and the two of them said, "Get ready for a makeover, girl!"

Ahiru saw the place set up with comforting lights, and relaxing music, with burning incense and scented candles. They stepped in front of her with an authoritative look on their faces and said, "Okay! Drop the drab duds and prepare for your bath!"

"What are you…is this necessary…guys, it's just a dance…do we have to go crazy!" protested Ahiru, but to no avail. Mai stripped off the topcoat, and Yuma went for the string tie, as they both giggled with glee. They then grabbed her, set her on a bed, and started to remove her shoes and socks. Mai looked up and said, in a robotic fashion, "Resistance is futile! Prepare for assimilation!"

It was when they spun her around and started to unzip her skirt that she realized that, if she continued to resist, these two were going to strip her naked and throw her in the bath. She finally said, "Okay! Okay! I'll go along with this! Who got all this stuff?"

"It was Mary, love," said Yuma, "She wanted to make this as fun as possible."

At that, a knock came on the door, and Mai said, "Speak of the Devil!"

Then Mary came in, and said, "Is she ready?"

"Almost, pet," said Yuma, "Do you have the things?"

"Yep," said Mary, "But before we draw the bath, we need to know what bath salts would be best for her."  
"Bath salts?" said Ahiru, "Why do I get the feeling I'm being set up?"

"Set up?" queried Mary, "You act like… Hey, are you telling me you have never gotten 'girled up' before? Oh, baby! You're gonna enjoy this! Now, finish stripping down."

Ahiru felt awkward now, not knowing where this was going. As soon as she dropped the last stitch of clothing, Mary produced a silk bathrobe, and put it around her. "There you go! How does that feel?"

Ahiru was surprised. It was a beautiful red, Japanese looking robe, and it felt so soft. "It feels so soft, and surprisingly warm."

"Thought you'd like it," said Mary, "Now sit down, and you two, start undoing the braid."

Mary plopped down beside her, pulled out some l'eau de toilet, and was preparing to test some different scents on her, to see what kind of bath salts to use. Another knock came on the door, and this time it was Rue. "Started already?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Mary, "I was just getting ready to try some scents on her."

Rue then plopped down on the other side of her, and said, "Now, just reach out your arm, and we'll spray a small amount on spots of your arm, and see what smells the best. Mai, Yuma, start burning the candles in the bathroom."

"We're on it!" they both said simultaneously, and were off to the bathroom. After they left, the other two sprayed about four or five scents on her, agreed on one, and pulled out corresponding salts. Rue then said, "I'll draw the bath, and then set those back out. I want to find one for myself, and get ready for Mytho. Are you having fun, Ahiru?"

"I guess so," said Ahiru, still a little confused, "Do you do this all the time?"

"For something special like this, you bet, sister," said Mary, giving Ahiru a little hug. At this, Mai came out, and said, "The bath is ready!"

"Great," said Rue, "Here's the soap that goes with it, and the conditioner for her hair."

At this, Ahiru went into the bathroom, and eased into the bath. She was about to clean up, when they said, "Not yet: just lay there and enjoy it for a little while. Let it soak in."

She had to admit, this felt great. After Rue chose what she wanted, she said, "Too bad there isn't a second tub in there, or else I'd be in there too, Baby Duck."

"Hey!" protested Ahiru, "Its bad enough Billy calls me that!"

Rue came in and pinched her cheek, and said, "Don't give me that! You know you like it! Mary and I will be back in a few, because we need to get ready for the dance."

"Then we get to go next," said the other two, "because you're going to dinner, and then we'll have time to get ready."

Ahiru lay there for a good half hour, and then Mai and Yuma came in, both with towels wrapped around themselves, and said, "Okay, now it is time for your hair. We'll work on that while you clean yourself up."

Because Ahiru's hair was so long, (down to her calves,) in order to give it the full treatment they were seeking, it would take the both of them to manage it.

Meanwhile, in the boy's dorm, Billy was looking for something to wear that would be nice enough for dinner, and yet could be something that could be easily converted for use in the band. He wanted something formal that he could then go casual with when he played. He decided to pack some comfortable clothes in a sack for that, and decided on a red V-neck sweater with yellow trim, white shirt and tie, blue slacks, and black shoes. Though he was only 14, because of his black hair, he had to shave a couple of times a week, and so gave himself the barbershop treatment. This meant a good face scrub, hot towel, a good tight shave, hot shower, and nice cologne. This was the first date he had been on since Cissy, and that was only a simple thing, being that the two of them were only preteens at the time. This was his first real adult-like date, and he wanted to be ready. He was both excited and nervous. Mary had helped him get over his bashful side, yet this was different. Nonetheless, he was not going to let anything ruin this night if he could help it. Back in the girl's dorm, they had the towel wrapped around her head, and were toweling her down. She had to admit that her skin felt good, and she smelled really good. They helped her put the robe back on, and then Mai got ready to bathe herself. Back in the room proper, Yuma got out the hair dryer and the brushes, and began to slowly dry her hair and brush it out on the low setting. When that was done, she saw that the girls had laid out the nice white blouse, and blue overalls skirt, and the off-white broad brimmed hat, with the blue pumps and purse. Yuma then remembered that Ahiru did not have any nylons, and then Ahiru suggested that she just wear her white dance tights, and Yuma figured that this would work for tonight, but then suggested that Ahiru get her some nylons as soon as she could. Rue returned just as Yuma was finishing Ahiru's hair. Rue looked dressed to kill, although she did not wear anything too revealing, because the school still had certain dress code rules for off-class time. "How's it going?" Rue asked.

"Smashing!" said Yuma, "Once we got the right conditioner in her hair, it wasn't so scraggly."

"Scraggly," said Ahiru, a bit cross, "What's wrong with my hair?"

"I'm sorry, love," said Yuma, "Its just that you've worn your hair any old way for so long that it doesn't have that life in it any more. We fixed that!"

With that, Ahiru got dressed, and Rue got a chair for Ahiru as they prepared to braid her hair. However, they set her chair right in front of the full-length mirror, and Ahiru saw herself for the first time. She then said, "Please wait. May I have my hat?"

They handed it to her, and she put it on. She did not even recognize herself, but liked what she saw. "No braid," said Ahiru, "but could you just give me a black ribbon please?"

The other two looked at each other, and then gave her the ribbon. She then proceeded to try to tie her hair back. The other two then realized what she was doing, and then decided to help her tie the long mass of hair in the best way possible. Ahiru then looked at herself again. What she saw staring back out of the mirror at her was not an awkward little girl, but, for the first time, the young woman into which she was blossoming. Rue and Yuma were amazed at the transformation, and stood behind her speechless, and yet smiling. Mai came out, saying, "Okay, Yuma, it's all…oh…my…GAWD!"

Mai was stunned, and screamed, "YOU LOOK GREAT!"

Ahiru smiled, and said, "Do you really think so?"

She then looked back at the mirror, and stared for another 30 seconds, and said, "Rue, I really am beautiful," still stunned at the transformation. Then Mary said, "And, if you give me time, Mai, you'll be next."

"And just what do you mean by that," protested Mai.

Rue chimed in, and said, "It's high time you got the 'girl' treatment."

"Yeah, its time for your rose to blossom, Mai," added Mary.

Mai smirked, and said, "We'll see about that."

Billy came over and waited for Ahiru to emerge, and then his eyes almost fell out of his head when he saw her emerge. "Wow, you look great!" Billy said quite amazed. Ahiru clasped her hands in front of her, turned a bit red, and looked down a bit as she smiled. Mytho stuck out his arm, and Rue took it. Billy took the cue, did the same, and they were off. As they walked, Rue was amazed at the gait that Ahiru took. She didn't walk as much as she glided along gracefully. Billy and Ahiru did not say much as they walked, just enjoying each other's company. Billy also was carrying his guitar, as well as his change of clothes, considering what was going on later. Ahiru only asked briefly about this, Billy explained what was going on, and that seemed sensible to Ahiru. They then arrived at an Italian restaurant, and enjoyed a great meal. It was then that they all got quite chatty, talking about school, classes, the different teachers, and shared stories about some funny things that had already happened. After the meal, they headed for the gym. One thing that Rue noticed about Ahiru through the whole meal was that there seemed a mix of her and Tutu in the way she spoke and behaved. Rue now realized just how far a change in image could go. If this were a hint of what she would grow into, this was a great sight. If she changed enough, her own parents would not even recognize her at Christmas break.

The school really did not have a sports program, considering that the whole point of the school was to provide preteens and teens a chance to enhance their arts, and they would not have time for organized sports to begin with. However, the gym was there for recreational use, and to aid the dancers in keeping fit. The weight room was well stocked, and was well frequented by the male dancers to make them stronger in doing the lifts that they do. It was in here the dance was set up. There was never the need for a DJ, because the school always had enough singers and musicians to fill the role of music. Besides, what other middle or high school had the kind of band that this school had? What other school had a rock band that was backed by what was essentially a chamber orchestra? Billy changed clothes, and the others began to schmooze with the other students. Ahiru was now one of the centers of attention: not only for the way she looked, but also because of how Billy had gone all out for her, and how all the other girls realized how wrong they had been in their treatment of Ahiru. At that, Billy came out, and the music began. They played a wide variety of popular music, oldies, jazz, and rock. Of course, there were moments where the various dance disciplines dominated the floor, depending on what was played. Rue and Mytho stole the show, doing quite a passionate _pas_ _de deux_ to _Stairway to Heaven_. Of course, Billy had his chances to dance with Ahiru, and as they did, they were falling deeper and deeper in love with one another. What also was a surprising thing to see was how Fakir and Mary were warming to one another. There was a tender side to Fakir that Ahiru had seen when, for a short stint, (because of Edel's meddling,) she had been transformed into an actual duck, and he saved her life in duck form. Not many others had seen that side, but now, he was displaying this a bit more than usual. After Billy had a chance to dance again with Ahiru, he then went back to the stage, and told the harpsichord player to start _Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds_, curious to see how Ahiru would react, considering how she reacted to _Across the Universe_ a couple of weeks before. She started to sway, at first, and then began to go into a ballet to the song. Now she was the whole center of attention, and the lights man focused one spot on her. Everyone was mesmerized by the dance, and Ahiru had lost herself within it. When it was over, the place erupted into applause. She shook her head as if coming out of a trance. Yet, instead of going into a duck-like rant, she just stood there a bit shamefaced, and did a short curtsey as she faded back into the crowd. Rue saw that, and said to herself, "Now that was different!"

Rue caught up with Ahiru at the concessions, and was surprised to see her looking a bit down. "Why the long face?"

"Was I going overboard?" she asked.

"Of course not!" Rue said, smiling, "This is the first time I have ever seen you so confident in yourself, love yourself, and the first time since you restored Mytho's heart that you have seemed so happy."

Ahiru then smiled, and said, "I have never felt so much love in my life. I hope it never goes away."

"If Billy turns out to be the one," said Rue, "it never will!"

After the dance, they were all making their way back, and Mary asked for a private word with Billy. "So, how was it?"

"I have never felt like this for a person before," answered Billy, "This may sound odd, but this kind of thing is new to me. It feels so good to go out of your way for someone like this."

"That's great," said Mary, "But, what about her?"

"I like her," answered Billy, smiling, "I like her a lot."

"You've found something good," said Mary, "Don't ever let it go. If you ever have questions on how to deal with something in this situation, don't hesitate to ask, because I don't want to see you mess this up."

As they talked, they began to drift further and further away from the group, not realizing that two sets of eyes were watching them intently.

The four arrived at the walkway that lies directly between the main dorms. They wheeled around to find that Mary and Billy were nowhere to be seen. Before they could react, their phones all began to vibrate. "Oh God," spat Rue, "Not tonight: please, not tonight."

Ahiru flipped hers open, and saw the numbers that corresponded to Mary and Billy being hurried off the campus. Without hesitation, Rue and Ahiru, once they assessed that the coast was clear, immediately changed form. Then Princess Tutu did something that they had never seen her do before. She did the gesture that symbolized something growing, and vines shot up all around her. She motioned her arms, and a white mist formed around the forming vines, making what looked like an astral barque. She spun her arms, and it began to rise. The Chess Knights scrambled to get on board before they were left, but Princess Claire had her own mode of transport. The Chess Knights put their cowls on, and exposed their uniforms, both wondering how Tutu was doing what she was doing. However, there was no time to worry about that. There was trouble, and they were needed.

What had happened was this: when the time seemed right, about three raven men appeared and jumped Mary and Billy. Billy started to utter the name, but he was knocked unconscious before he could speak. Mary had enough of her arms free to reach into her purse and press the emergency button. Now they were being dragged off the campus. The minions did not know whom it was that they had grabbed, they had just been on patrol for Edel, and saw an opportunity. "*Caw* you make good offering," said one of them, "You have good pure heart. Raven will love!"

"Stop fight," said the one holding Mary, "Edel make quick: no pain."

However, just as they got outside the gate of the school, Claire appeared in front of the group. "Boys, you made a bad mistake tonight!" she snapped.

"Is traitor girl," one of them said, "Now you die: kill!"

The one holding Billy dropped him on the ground, and two of them went forward to engage Claire, both wielding spears. Claire knew she might be able to take them, but she did not know if she was going to get out of this without getting hurt. Yet, as she began to engage, the third minion started to drag Mary off. "At least me get one," he said. "NO!" she screamed, "Let me go!"

There was nothing Claire could do, considering what was in front of her. "Where are they?" she thought. Mary started to yell, "Billy, wake up! Oh God: if he could only wake up, he could say 'Shazam,' and then…"

That is as far as it got. Suddenly, a thunderbolt came down, but it did not strike Billy. It hit Mary squarely, and it fried the minion holding her. All this was just as Tutu and the others were arriving. They could not believe what they saw. Standing there was a woman clad similarly to Captain Marvel, but in a female fashion. She was wearing a knee-length side button dress, was girt about with a golden sash, and bloused half sleeves. The cloak was the same, but she wore gold wristbands, and gold pumps, with laces that crisscrossed up her calf, and tied off just below the knees. Mary was so overcome with the change, she did not even notice the raven smoking behind her, nor did she notice one of the two remaining minions that now broke off from Claire and went straight for her. She came to herself and looked up just as that attacker struck. She screamed and tried to cover up. However, as it turned out, that was not needed, for the spear broke like a toothpick, bending the point like aluminum foil. The minion did not skip a beat, and tried to hit her. This was followed by the sound of cracking bones in the limb of the minion, who was now cawing in pain. Mary then picked it up and said, "Don't you know it's not nice to hit girls!"

She then gave it a thunderous punch that caused it to revert to an ordinary raven, and it flew fast and hard into the wall, and splattered into a million pieces. Claire had then managed to subdue her attacker as the others arrived. She then told it, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you where you stand!"

"No, no, please no," it pleaded, "Me only do what me told. Me no hate you!"

"Kill it," said Black Knight, "It's an abomination."

"No," said Mytho, "I believe what it is saying."

"You can't be serious," said Claire.

"No, me be good. Be friend," he pleaded, "If me go back, Edel kill for fail. Me no like this. Me like being normal raven."

"Then there is only one way to resolve this," said Tutu, "Give me your wing."

The minion hesitated, not knowing what to do, but then complied. "Open your heart to me," she said, "What is inside you?"

As they danced, she realized that this was a tame raven the whole town knew, and who they fed on a regular basis. He liked people, and was content, until Edel got a hold on him. Now he was scared, because, if he stayed here, he was dead, but if he went back, he was just as dead, and there was no way now to be restored to normal. "Me so sorry. Me try to hurt. Me bad raven."

"No you're not," said Tutu, "But you must make things right."

"How me do?" he asked.

"Can you help Billy?" she asked in return.

"Yes, yes: me help right away," he said. With that, he found a rag, snuck onto the campus, soaked it in the mall fountain, and came back to sprinkle water on Billy in an attempt to wake him up. In the meantime, the others went to see how this had happened to Mary. "What happened to you?" Claire asked in total amazement.

"I have no idea!" she said, "All I said was 'Sha…'" and she stopped herself remembering how she got this way. Then she said, "…the old wizard's name, and *poof* here I am!"

"Second of all," said Claire, "How did you make that boat?"

"I've been experimenting when I had free time," said Tutu, "I don't think that I've really given myself time to find out just what I am capable of. For example, I wanted to know if I could make some form of travel. I knew that I could make a boat, but I wanted to see if I could control wind like Claire, and make it fly. Believe me: it took a few tries. I've also been experimenting with some kind of subduing attacks. I'm not as sure about those yet, though."

By this point, Billy was coming round, and then very nearly crawled out of his skin when he saw what was bringing him around. "No! No! Me no hurt! Me sorry! Me friend!" said the nervous raven.

"It's okay," said White Knight, "I'll fill you in."

"Where's Mary," Billy said, scanning the area.

A voice then said behind him, "I'm right here," but not in the same voice that he was used to hearing. He wheeled around, and saw what had happened to her. His eyes grew as wide as dinner plates, and she said, "Um…Hi?"

Billy then grew a bit weak, and was ready to pass out again. Things were getting confusing, and then grew worse when they all suddenly found themselves inside the throne room of the Rock of Eternity. Quickly, Shazam spoke up, to assure them that all was well. "I had to bring you all here, because I think I owe you a bit of an explanation about Mary."

"How did we get here?" asked Black Knight.

"I have the ability to bring visitors every once and a while," said Shazam, "Although, with this group, it took a lot. When I do send you all back, I shall be out of commission for a few days, for it takes a lot of energy to do what I have done, and what I must do to return you."

They looked around the room, and saw that the walls and columns were of granite reddish-pink, and there were various hanging tapestries and torches about the room. Lining the wall on the left side were statues representing the seven deadly sins, and on the right side were seven statues representing the seven virtues. This was always to remind any visitor of exactly what choices exist for any person to make, and what could be the results of the choices. At the end were a marble stoop, and a throne upon which Shazam sat. The wizard continued, "You are in the Rock of Eternity: a point in space that sits inter-dimensionally, so here, time has no meaning. When it is time to return the lot of you, I can do so as if you had never left."

Everyone, except Billy, was looking around in amazement, except for the raven, who was terrified out of his wits. "Worry not, poor creature," assured the wizard, "You're safe here. No harm shall come to you."

That seemed to calm him down. Then Shazam said, "First of all, I wish to explain what has happened here with you two, (indicating Mary and Billy.) Many centuries ago, I was once a hero like Captain Marvel, and I sought a successor. First, I went to Egypt and found a potential disciple—Thoth Adam. He was the original Black Adam. However, he turned the gifts he had been given to evil. I was then able to entrap him, but many centuries later, he was accidentally released by Captain Marvel, and it took a great effort to subdue him. However, when he was defeated, he turned to dust, because he went back to his true form, which would have long been dead otherwise. However, somehow, before he died, he transferred his power into an amulet, and it was found by one of your father's colleagues—Seth Adam. He then became Black Adam, and he almost ended up as evil as his predecessor. If it were not for Captain Marvel helping him see the error of his ways, he would have cause far worse destruction than the original. However, I digress. I guess I just wanted to make clear all my involvement with the Marvel-esque heroes that exist. In any case, when I had managed to imprison the first Black Adam, I decided that I would not try to handpick the next Captain Marvel. Instead, I decided that I would take a scarab, and declare on it that the first child that possessed that scarab would be the next Marvel. I chose a youth, because a youth would not have time to be so corrupted as an adult to abuse his or her abilities. As chance would have it, your father found it, and then he ended up the father of twins. When he split the scarab between you two, I had to make a decision. I decided that I would make an offer to the each of you to become the next Captain. I started with Billy because of his situation. With him being on the streets, I figured that he needed the hand up more than anyone else did at that moment. However, I also decided that I would make the offer to Mary, as having two Marvels would be better than just one. Yet, because the need would not admit delay, I allowed her to become what you see before you now, and then decided to see if she wished to continue as a Marvel at that point."

"Well, Mary, do you accept?" asked Billy.

"I don't know," she said, "Everything has all happened so quickly, I just don't know what to do with this."

"Sometimes, things happen beyond our control," said Tutu, "So, we just have to know how to roll with the tide, know when to float, and know when to go against the flow. Much happened faster than I wanted when I first became Tutu, but I learned how to deal with surprises in time. However, all this has happened to your good, so there is nothing to fear."

Claire added, "There is an old saying we have in Japan: there is happiness for those who accept their fate. There is glory for those who can defy their fate. What and when you accept is something you learn in time, because if you try to defy when you need to accept could cause more harm to you and others. It could be seen as selfish. In this case, you are kind of doing both: you defy fate by being able to find your brother, working with us, and now, becoming what you are, instead of just going to school and becoming a dancer had you not met any of us. On the other hand, because of all that has happened here, it seems like this was also your fate."

"Thus," continued Shazam, "what we see here was you coming to a crossroads that not many people have seen. In other words, you had a choice of fates, whereas others only have one, and then must choose whether to accept it, reject it, and ponder what the consequences would be on either choice. You, Mary, on the other hand, had a choice of two fates, neither choice really having any bad consequences attached to them. It is just that one has more benefits than the other does. I do believe that it was your fate to meet these people in order that the choice could be presented to you. Therefore, by choosing one fate, you defy the other, and nothing shall be harmed either way. Indeed, you have a choice that not many have, and many more would envy."

Billy then asked, "What is it then that gives her the powers she has?"

"That is a good question," said Shazam, "Her powers are exactly like your own, except that the sources of them are quite different. Here is what causes her to be the way she is: Selena grants her grace, which gives to her the same kind of invulnerability you. Hippolyta grants her the same strength, Ariadne grants her skill, that provides the same kind of power that enhances all her powers, Zephyrus—god of the wind—grants her the same speed, Aurora provides her the beauty that gives her courage, and Minerva grants her wisdom. This also spells out my name as well, and thus, she has her powers. Now, Mary, I granted you the ability you have now, because the situation would not admit delay. However, you have merely to refuse, and you will go back to normal. It's up to you."

Mary said, "My head is swimming. So much has happened in these few weeks. I started off as an ordinary girl, and now, not only do I find out my brother is a superhero, not only do I find out that all his friends are heroes, not only do I end up on a team by default, now it turns out that I am a super heroine as well! I just don't know."

Billy came up, and said, "If there is one thing that I have found out, it is this: being a superhero is never a dull moment. It moves fast, and you have to move with it, or it will overrun you. However, being what you are now, you have the ability to withstand. Join us, as Mary…" Billy hesitated, thought for a moment, and said, "Mary Marvel!"

Mary smiled and laughed, and then said, as she slapped her thighs and raised her arms, "What the hey? What do I have to lose?"

"Excellent!" said Shazam, "Then I hereby dub thee as Mary Marvel. Remember, with this great power, great temptation comes with it to misuse it for your own gain. Yet, also remember, though you have all this, as Mary Batson, you are just as mortal as Billy: you cannot live forever, and if you cannot change, then you can die as much as he can. Therefore, think not of yourself more highly than you ought. Thus, (and this is for all of you,) you see the seven deadly sins lining one wall, and the seven virtues on the other: every day, either set is there for you to choose to emulate. Yet, remember, with every choice towards one or the other, there shall be a consequence. Choose the correct ones, and there shall never be a worry."

While all this was going on, the raven was standing alone in a corner, looking sad, because he did not know what his fate would be. All he wished was to go back to the village, be a normal raven again, and be friends with the people that fed him the scraps he so loved. This could never be again. This did not escape the eyes of Tutu, who then walked up and began to stroke the feathers on his head. She asked, "Are you sad?"

He cooed, "Me have no home, no friends, no place me can go, can no go back to village," and he actually began to weep. Much to the surprise of everyone, she knelt down, and gave him a big hug, which the raven returned. She looked up at the others looking askance, and said, "It's not his fault. He needs love, just like anyone else. He had that, and Edel took it from him. Now he has no one. We must do something."

Yet, what could be done? Billy thought for a minute, and then pulled aside the boys, saying, "He could live with us, just hide when he needs to. Ravens are surprisingly neat birds, so we could have our own live in butler."

White Knight was not so sure, and Black Knight shook his head with a definite, "No." However, Mary said, "Claire, could he stay with us?"

"Well, I don't know," said Claire. Yet, the raven left Tutu's arms, and fell at Claire's feet, pleading with her, "Me promise: me keep good house. Me take care of everything. Me make up for bad things."

"If I say 'yes,' you are going to have to stay out of sight, be quiet when we are gone, hide when we tell you, and do whatever we say. Can you fly?"

"Oh yes, me can still fly!" he said.

"Good," said Claire, "Then if you want, when we are home, you can wait until nightfall, and stretch your wings to hunt for food. It would be best; because I cannot see 'caging' you up in our room, and it would not be fair to you."

Billy added, "Now, we have to think of a name for you."

"Name?" he asked.

"Well, we have to call you something," said Mary. She though for a moment, and then said, "I know: Poe!"

"Poe?" asked Black Knight.

"Poe," said Mary, "as in 'Edgar Allen?' I thought for a minute, and wondered if 'Nevermore' would be better, but I think Poe says it all. What do you think?"

"Poe…Me name is Poe! Me like!" said Poe.

"Then it's settled," said Billy, "We are now the Secret Six."

"Then go forth," said Shazam, "and do this world some good."

With that, Shazam sent everyone back to their own rooms, as if no time had passed, and at the right times, so that no one would wonder from where people had popped up. Kinkan had no idea that six avatars had moved in to look after it, and all under its care.


	9. Chapter 9

**IX**

Keeping Poe under wraps, however, was not an easy thing. Yet, the girls did not have to worry too much. During one class time, Poe needed some cleaner for the bathroom, and he found that the girls were out. He did not want to fail in his job, so he took a chance in going to the common closet out in the hallway to find more. The coast was clear, so he went to the closet. When he went in, he also found a mop and bucket, and realized that the floor would need to be mopped when he was done. Thus, he began to fill the mop bucket with a solution for the floor. He was in the middle of this when the RD came up to check up on a closet door in one of the rooms. She heard the water flowing, and went to investigate. When she saw him, she was too terrified to scream. Poe, knowing he was caught, had to think fast. He said, "Um…hello: me Poe…um…and…ah…me new janitor, yeah. Me been sent. They no tell?"

At first, she did not know what to answer, but to see this was not so unusual. After all, she knew of Mr. Katt, and no one knew quite how he came to be, nor was anyone gutsy enough to ask. Thus, to see him should not be such a surprise, at least, that is what she reasoned. She then asked, "Well, what are you here to do, specifically?" gulping down some nerves.

Poe was seeing that his bluff was working, so he followed up with, "Me…um…me clean dorm, fix things, do laundry for girls, straighten rooms when they busy, be gofer, handy bird."

"Well," she said, "If that's the case, then there is a closet door in one of the rooms. Maybe you can help me fix it?"

Poe knew he was not the brightest bulb in the rack, but he figured he was either better than he though, or, she was just plain stupid! Thus, he went with her, and using a bit of common sense, he was able to get the door back on track, and working properly. He may not have been too smart, but at least he had some horse sense. The RD was so pleased, that she put him to work immediately, and found out just how notoriously clean birds ravens actually are. As the girls came back bit by bit, the RD made sure that they were all prepared for Poe, and she described his function. Mary, Rue, and Ahiru were the last of the girls to return, and the RD went to tell them what was going on, as Poe was coming down with Yuma's laundry, and Yuma giving him specific instructions on how she wanted it done. The three of them standing there looked like three ghosts had just entered as the blood seemingly drained from their faces out of their feet. "Oh no!" was all Rue could say. The RD was gushing, "Oh, he is so helpful, and very thorough in cleaning. He seems to thrive in the attention. Look, there he is now with Yuma."

The three of them still looked like pale codfish, staring at the sight. Yuma was finishing the list, "…And the blouse I need you to press for me, because I am going out with a boy from the orchestra for dinner this weekend, and I want to be sure that I have a good outfit ready for the meeting. You're such a pet! Oh, hi girls: you are absolutely going to love this bird."

As Poe reached the bottom, the three of them stood there, looking slightly cross, with one eyebrow raised on each face. All Poe could do was shrug. Rue sauntered up and said, "Well…?"

He whispered, "She catch: me had to think fast. She buy whole thing."

"We'll talk later," was all Rue could say. One thing she knew was in his favor: he was resourceful. He must have fed the RD quite the line, or else he would have been done for. At least this way, he did not have to hide. On the other hand, he now really could not stay in their room, so they had to figure out some better arrangements. Rue walked up to the RD and said, "I…need to confess: he was sent by my father. He figured that the help would be nice, but I guess this is better."

"So, he doesn't work for the school?" the RD asked.

"Daddy's paying him," said Rue, "But he still needs a place to crash. Can you help?"

"Well, it is a bit odd for this," she answered, "but he has done no harm, and he is helpful, so, I guess its okay. If a place to stay is needed, there is a space in the attic that we had to use for a room once when we had more students than space. I think that may do."

It was then she saw Poe coming back, and she told him, "Honey, if you need sleeping quarters, follow me."

They went up to the attic, and all the fixtures were still there, as well as things being stored. She apologized for the mess, but Poe said it would be no problem, and he could fix it up. Thus, she left it to him, and came back down. By this time, Rue and Mary had gone to their room, and discussed the matter. It seemed now that they had to give some kind of a salary now, considering that he was now actually doing something to earn his keep. Mary pledged some of her allowance to him, but decided only to give it to him when he had a need. News spread over the campus about the new "live-in" in the girl's dorm, but the odd sight soon became commonplace as he was seen around campus quite frequently. Mr. Katt, on the other hand, was thrown into a bit of a battle, as he had to fight instincts to keep from chasing him whenever he saw the bird. Poe was also eager to keep his distance from Mr. Katt as well. In the room, he already had the stored goods set neatly to one corner; save for the shiny baubles that he felt would best decorate the room. The bed he was not sure about, considering that he was used to a roost, and not a soft bed. However, when he stood on it, it felt soft, and when he settled down on it, it felt comfortable. He therefore covered the surface with black down and feathered it just right and there slept.

Ahiru still was the counseling type, as Tutu was more suited for this purpose, rather than being a fighter. She knew now how to use her best assets to be an aid to fighting evil, but still sought to aid people in their lives by guiding their hearts. As she sat in the dayroom, working on her studies, she was joined by Mai and Yuma, as well as Rue and Mary. Only the year before, in the process of gathering heart shards for Mytho, she was even able to aid her two roommates. In the case of Yuma, she saw attempting to "grow up" the year before, and in the process, she threw away a beloved teddy bear, thinking it was something too childish to keep. However, what she did not realize was, a toy like that represents the love of mother and father, and the security that one's parents give. When she came to school, the bear represented this to her in a way she had not realized. Subconsciously, when she threw away the bear, she was throwing away that love and security. The next day, she became quite depressed. She tried to throw it off, but when she saw a little girl with a teddy bear, she began to bawl uncontrollably. At that precise moment, a 30-foot tall teddy bear began to walk through, and tear up, the local village. The bear had been affected in this way by one of the heart shards that Kraehe had hid in what she thought to be an abandoned toy. It gave the bear life. It wanted to go back to Yuma, not to chastise her for disposing her, but because of the heart shard, wanted to thank her for all the years that she took good care of it. Tutu intervened, stopped the destruction, and took the bear back to Yuma. She gave one mighty leap, and because of the nature of the heart shard, was able to take the leap all the way back to the school, with the bear by its hand. Yuma saw this, realized whom the bear was, and was now terrified. However, she was surprised when Tutu declared to her that the bear only wanted to return to thank her, despite how cruelly she had disposed of it. Yuma then stated why she had done what she had done, and Tutu said that, just because she wanted to grow up, it did not mean that she needed to get rid of the things she loved dearly. She should instead cherish them for all the good memories that those things provided. Tutu was then able to extract the shard, the bear returned to normal, and fell back into Yuma's arms. She gave it a mighty hug, sorry for how selfish she had been, and stood there for probably a good five minutes crying, quite sorry for what she had done, as Mai consoled her. Now the bear that she called Mallon sat in a special spot on her dresser, and she often spoke to it when she had something to reason out that she felt she could not yet share with the others. Moreover, whenever she felt very homesick, Mallon would find his way into her bed from time to time, once again giving her that comfort of parents and home she could not have at that time.

Mai, on the other hand, was affected more directly in the search for the shards. She was indeed a tomboy, and even now did not do much to fight the reputation. However, she did want to shed this, and was seeking to do things to show that she was just as much as a lady as any other girl. She was showing potential as a dancer, and this was not to be questioned. However, Mr. Katt, and the other instructors, could not help but notice that she had trouble in demonstrating femininity in her dance. It was hindering her advancement, and she knew it. She began to seek ways to show her femininity, and started by working on her courage to deal with boys as something more than just pals. The Star Festival had taken place that year, and it was a once every four year event during a meteor shower, where sweethearts would exchange something called "star candy," believing that if the other accepted it, it would link the two forever. What she found odd was, when this time came, she found a lot more courage to do something like this than ever before. What she did not realize was that, somehow, Kraehe had planted the heart shard in her that represented "courage," and it gave her an over surge of that emotion. It gave her enough courage to attempt to give some candy to Fakir. This, he politely refused, and it left her shattered and confused. She was now at an age where she no longer liked how people perceived her, and it hurt that a boy she thought she liked turned her down. She ran off to the back woods to sort out her thoughts, as many students did. However, Ahiru, when she saw her pass, had her original pendant glow, indicating a piece of Mytho's heart somewhere near. She followed the pendant until it led her right to Mai. She changed into Tutu, and invited Mai to dance. It was then that she revealed how she felt about her tomboy reputation, and wanted to be rid of it. She then declared that she had seen Fakir's powerful dancing, and she felt it would be wonderful to dance with him one day. It gave her courage, and gave her enough courage to present the candy. However, she then realized, as they danced, that all Fakir was, was a means to an end. What she really was attempting was to see if she had enough courage to even do this much. Once she realized that she had courage, it was okay if he said, "No." As a result, she came to grips with the emotion, and that allowed Tutu to extract the shard. Mai passed out as a result, but Tutu laid her safely on a bench in the school for her to sleep off the effects of the extraction. Yuma found her, and was quite surprised at the change in Mai. However, this still did not shake off the tomboy reputation, nor did it seem to quell that kind of behavior all that much. This was something that Mary wanted to help her with, and sought opportunities to fix things.

Ahiru was constantly on the lookout for those who had those kinds of problems, and would take opportunity to aid them where she could. Her attention was now turned on a second year student from France named Nana. She was eleven years old, and had been advanced to the beginner course just the year before. At that time, she actually helped Ahiru by inadvertently teaching her about visualization techniques. Nana very much admired Rue, being she was the best female dancer in the class, and she considered her quite pretty: something that she hoped she could be one day. She therefore watched her closely, imitating what she knew was within her skill, and visualizing herself dancing alongside Rue, and seeing herself as the mature ballerina she sought to be one day. Ahiru then learned that, to help herself, all she had to do was remember what she had done as Tutu, and keep that in mind as she danced. At first, this was good for Nana, as having a role model to inspire one is a good thing to have. It keeps one aiming at higher goals. By the end of the year, she had advanced in her skills, and she began to practice over the summer, hoping to make the intermediate class. However, during tryouts, she was told that she had indeed come a long way; however, she needed some more time to season up before they advanced her. They told her not to lose heart, and to keep up the hard work. If she could do that, then she may have the chance in the second semester to try again. Sadly, this did not sit well with Nana, in that, she was just sure that she was good enough, and was shattered to find that they felt she needed more work. Now Nana was not her perky self, and she seemed to watch Rue even more closely. This caused her to be distracted, bringing the wrath of Mr. Katt down on her, as well as threats of marriage. For Mr. Katt, he was confused that such a bright and hard working student was staring to slip backwards in her work. What was really happening was that she was no longer dancing as herself, but was trying to dance _exactly_ like Rue, believing that, if she could do it precisely as her, she could go higher. This was hurting her, in that, she was trying things that she was just not physically able yet to do. Proverbially, she was trying to run before she had learned how to walk. She was becoming more and more depressed as she went. This began to weigh down on Ahiru, and she felt that she might have to intervene at some point. She thus began to observe her as closely as she could.

As Ahiru watched her, she began to see that she really did not have many friends. This was surprising, considering how much of an extrovert that she was. Then again, Ahiru remembered the treatment she once had received at the hands of her classmates. Soon, they were teasing her about her dancing, and were beginning to ride her hard. As the days passed, she began to turn more and more on herself. It got worse when a threat to return her to the basics course was made. She had to do something. After practice, she caught up with Nana on the way to the classroom phase of the class, and asked her how she was doing. Nana wanted to tell her to go away, but since this was Ahiru—one of the few girls that showed any concern about her—she said, "Well, I believe you Americans say, 'Its going.'"

"Why so glum, chum?" asked Ahiru.

"Everything is going wrong for me," she sobbed, "I try to do better, but I cannot. No one wants to help me."

"But you have done so well up to now," said Ahiru, "I would think you already know what to do."

"No, there has to be something else," she responded earnestly, "Look at Rue: there is something she has to be doing to do what she does."

"Have you asked her?" asked Ahiru.

"She just said, 'I don't know: practice maybe?' I then said that there has to be some secret, but she just smiled and said, 'Honey, I've watched you, and it seems you have the secret. You just seemed to let it slip somehow. But you can get it back: just keep working, you'll get it.'"

"That would encourage me," said Ahiru, "I mean, if I knew the one that I admired said she was watching me, it would make me feel good, because I know that she cared."

"But she didn't help me!" she snapped.

"But she did," answered Ahiru, "Because she told you that you already have it together, you just have to refine it. Believe it or not, I owe you some thanks, because you encouraged me last year, and gave me something which helped me go further."

Nana was surprised. "I really did that?" she now asked, quite curiously.

"Sure you did!" Ahiru said smiling, "And, what it was that you gave me was that I had to find my own dance, and do so by visualizing myself as what I can be. That's what you did with Rue, wasn't it?"

"But I still do," she responded.

"Do you," asked Ahiru, "because, if you did, I think that you wouldn't be slipping back."

"But I try to do all that she does," reasoned Nana.

"Nana, please don't take this wrong," Ahiru said carefully, "but you cannot be her. You can only be Nana. I could not do well once, because I didn't know who I was. Then, I had found myself, and thanks some to you, and I did so much better."

"Don't tell me that," she said, "I know I can be just like her."

With that, she snuffed, and walked ahead of Ahiru to the classroom. She then stopped, and said, "You're just like the others: you don't care!" and stamped off. What Ahiru did not realize was that Nana was slipping into depression, which can cause someone to think that the whole world is against him or her. She did not know this, but she did have enough wherewithals to know that she had to be watched carefully.

Later on, Nana came to apologize to Ahiru for her attitude. She knew that Ahiru was only trying to help, and said that she was really the only friend she had. She wished she had a group of people, as Ahiru had to be with, and a couple of friends like Mai and Yuma. She then said that this would never happen. She then asked Ahiru if she ever wished she could just fly away, and that she often wished this and this had been more often than before. When Ahiru went back to her room, she mentioned this to her roommates, and asked if there were any way that Nana could hang out with them sometimes. "Why," asked Mai, "What's the problem?"

"I just think she needs some friends to hang out with," answered Ahiru.

"Well, she is a bit young, isn't she," asked Yuma.

"Not that young," exclaimed Ahiru, with a curious look on her face, "She's only about a year and a half or so behind us."

"She doesn't seem like she wants to be with anyone," added Mai.

"I'm telling you, this is not her normal self," responded Ahiru, "She's normally an extrovert."

"Then why's she acting the way's she's been?" asked Mai.

Yuma thought for a moment, paused as if she was getting an epiphany, and then said, "I think we may be seeing a case of depression," said Yuma, "and that is not good at all."

"How would we know?" asked Ahiru.

"Tell me, love: has she spoken of hating life?"

"In a sense, though not directly."

"Does she feel the world is against her?"

"It seems that she's saying this, talking about having no real friends, being laughed at when she messes up, that kind of thing."

"Well, we already know that she has gone from being extroverted to being introverted. That is a major change in behavior. She has also lost her zeal in practices, so we know that this is affecting things. Has she spoken about not wanting to continue in life?"

"Well, she did ask me if I ever felt like wanting to just fly away."

"This seems like depression to me."

Mai interrupted, "Hold on: when did you become Sigmund Freud?"

"Well, Mai dear," Yuma said, in a knowing fashion, "All those "Seventeen" magazines that you poke fun at me about reading, well, they have had articles about depression and suicide in them, and the signs to look out for. Looks like those magazines aren't so silly now, are they?"

Ahiru jumped right in, and said, "Hey, wait a minute? What do you mean 'suicide'?"

"When you speak of depression," Yuma interjected, "this is something that cannot be left out of the mix. It has to be considered."

"Wow," said Ahiru, "I'm gonna have to tell someone about this."

"Be careful, darling," said Yuma, "because if Nana finds out that you said something, she may think you are trying to betray her, and she may then shut you out. If that happens, you won't be able to know when she is going to try one thing or another. You need to be discreet about something like that. Don't let on that it was you that said something."

With that, she made the determination that she would tell Mr. Katt before class started. He would be there to advise the six on their upcoming performance in the variety show, and that would be the best time for it. Yuma then added one more thing, "There is one thing you need to watch for. If she suddenly seems okay, and acts all content, that is a clear warning sign. It could be that she may have resolved her issues in her heart, and all is okay. However, it can also mean that she has settled on a decision about living that is a choice to die. In either case, the same contented state will happen. If that is the case, you need to stay with her and never let her out of your sight. The moment you do, she may act on her intentions, and that can spell disaster. One way to know if she made a choice for death is if she also accompanies her contented state by giving away things that she considers dear to her—prized possessions, her clothes, jewels, things of that nature."

"If what you have said is true, and she does recover, would not that mean that we should include her in our activities, just to make sure that she is not going to relapse?" asked Ahiru.

"Yes, that's true," said Yuma, "but first, we have to help her get out of this state."

The next day, she stated all this to Mr. Katt, and he had to agree that this explained her odd behavior. He then said, "Let me address the class today, I think I can get a reaction out of her in the right way, and give advice to the whole class at the same time."

After basics warm-ups, instead of breaking up, he had everyone sit in a semi-circle, and began his lesson. Ahiru made sure to sit by Nana, smiled, said, "Hi," and gave her a sisterly hug. Nana smiled a weak grin, but still looked sad. At that, Mr. Katt began, "Today, I want to talk about finding your style. What I mean by that is this: every one of us has their own unique way of approaching ballet. Yes, doing the dance steps should be the same for everyone. However, each one of us has their own unique way of expressing themselves as they do them. How we feel at that time, what we are thinking, what has been going on in our lives, and so forth, will always affect our attack executing the moves, as well as certain aspects of our personalities. This will shape our approach to things. If we are focused, confident in our dance, confident in ourselves, love ourselves, who it is that we are will come out in our dance, and then that will be our styles. Let me demonstrate. Fakir, Mytho, would you two please come forward."

They stepped up, and then Mr. Katt whispered into each of their ears a series of moves to do, the same moves, and did not let the other know what he had told him. He then had the piano player play some music, and he told Mytho to execute the moves while Fakir closed his eyes. Then He had Fakir do them. They were the same moves, and they were all executed by both boys sharply, and correctly. However, the personalities of both boys came out, and made each dance seem unique, although they both did the same moves. Mytho's dance was graceful and fluid. Fakir's had some snap and aggression to it, but it took nothing away from the moves, and actually accented the moves well. At that, Mr. Katt continued, "As you can see, each one of these boys have their own way of attacking the dance. No matter how slow or fast the cadenza is, you will see the same kind of attack to the steps. Thank you, boys."

They took their seats, and Ahiru said, "Wow, it almost seemed like two different dances, didn't it, Nana?"

"I guess so," she said, dejectedly, "But their both so good."

"But I don't think that's Mr. Katt's point," said Ahiru. Mr. Katt continued, "The biggest mistake any of us can make is to try to be someone that we are not. In other words, we cannot find our style by imitating another. We can be inspired, but we have to be ourselves. I remember I time that I was just a young kitten, and I had a chance to meet the great Baryshnikov. He visited our class, and I was so fascinated by what he did, that, when he stuck around to watch our class, I tried to dance the way he did. However, he took me aside, and explained all of this to me. He was flattered that I would want to model myself after him, but I had to do it my way. Once he told me that, it started me on a long search for myself as I grew up. Yet, it was a fulfilling journey as I advanced in my dance. When I found myself, and was at peace with that cat, I was able to be the dancer I am now. No one can be me, but I cannot be you. Thus, start that journey now, if you have not already. And remember: I, or any of the instructors here will be more than willing to listen to you if you have something personal you want to talk about, problems, if you need help, or just a shoulder to cry on. With that, let's get to work."

They started to break up, but, for a moment, Nana just stood there, with a tear welling up. Ahiru said, "Mrs. Wilkins is waiting for you, Nana."

However, Nana hissed, "What…did…you…tell…him?"

Ahiru hung her head and sighed. She couldn't lie, because she knew that this would make matters worse. "Nana," Ahiru said, "I just saw you so sad that I didn't know what to say or do. I wanted to fix it…"

"You should have said nothing!" snapped Nana.

Ahiru knew that she had to be firm at this point, and said, "Nana, if I didn't care, I would have said nothing! That's not fair! If I were having the same problems, wouldn't have you said something?"

Nana wanted to say, "No," but she knew that it would be a futile thing to be mad. Ahiru was right. "I'm sorry," said Nana, "But now, everyone's going to think I'm crazy. I want to die!"

With that, she began to cry, and ran out of the room to gather herself. Another instructor took over Mrs. Wilkins' class while she went out to try to console Nana. However, Ahiru was rattled by Nana stating, "I want to die," because she now wondered if she had been pushed over the edge.

Ahiru, at this point, decided not to let Nana out of her sight as much as possible. All seemed as well as could have been expected, though she was still the moping, sad self that she had become. Then, about three days later, Nana seemed to perk up. It seemed that everything was fine. Ahiru remembered what Yuma had said, and kept an even closer watch on her. However, she had not given anything away, and it seemed that everything was fine. Ahiru said, "Well, this is quite a pleasure! What's the occasion?"

Nana answered, "I've had a few days to think it over, and I know what I need to do. After today, it will be no problem at all. No one's ever going to bother me again!"

To Ahiru, that could mean anything. However, there were not the signs that one would associate with suicide, so she let it go, hoping that things will come to the better. Yet, in class, Nana did her drills, and did them correctly, but they were quite mechanical. Her teachers, on the other hand, thought nothing of it. Since she was at least coming around and not limping her way through things, it was improvement that they did not want to discourage. Still, Ahiru though it weird that someone that had come to grips with things was doing what it took to just get through the class, yet doing just enough to throw people off on what her problems really were. After classes that day, Ahiru had lost track of Nana, and grew concerned. When she got back to the dorm, everyone was abuzz about how Nana was giving all these gifts to the girls of the dorm. Now Ahiru was terrified. She rushed upstairs up to her room, and found her roommates. "Yuma!" Ahiru shouted, "When was the last time you saw Nana?"

"I'm glad you're here!" said Yuma, "I can't find her anywhere!"

"Yuma," said Ahiru, "You need to find all the girls who got something from Nana and tell them to bring all those things to her room. Explain why. I think I know where she is going, and I'm going to try to catch her. My God, I hope I'm in time!"

She sprinted out of her room when she bumped into Poe. "Poe!" she exclaimed, "I'm glad I found you! Nana's in trouble! I need you to fly out to the back woods in direction of the cliff back there. If you see Nana, stall her as long as you can. Princess Tutu will be along soon enough."

Poe grew excited, and quickly complied. Meanwhile, Ahiru ran out of the dorm and out of the campus towards the direction of the backwoods. There was no time to call the others. She would have to handle this herself. She rushed on as she made her transformation.

There was a blank expression on the face of Nana as she approached the cliff face. This was a spot that the landscape artists loved to come and paint for their classes. This cliff also happened to be about 300 feet high, and a perfect spot for jumpers. She was about 100 yards away when Poe arrived. She jumped from the sudden arrival of the large bird, and Poe quickly said, "No, No: is okay! Is me, Poe. Why you walk alone? Woods scary alone. Want friend to walk, yes?"

"Oh, Poe," she said beginning to cry, "I wish I could be you."

"Why?" he asked.

"You're so free," she said, "No one picks on you. You don't have to please anyone. You don't have people telling you what's wrong with you. You can fly away whenever you want."

She began to walk again, and Poe kept in front of her, trying to slow her down, "Oh, me like to fly. Me wish I could help. Me not know if me can carry."

"Don't worry," said Nana, "I'm going to fly, and never land again. I'm going away."

"No," said Poe, "No go. You do pretty dance. You nice to Poe: Poe's friend! Me miss you lots!"

She regained her blank face, and her resolve, and said coldly, "I have no friends. No one will care if I am gone."

She then shouldered her way past Poe, but Poe sensed something bad. She kept approaching the cliff, and he knew well that she couldn't fly. He then grabbed her, having a good idea of what he was trying to prevent. "Please," he pleaded, "No fight! You fall: be hurt lots. Me cry."

She was now struggling, and they were now getting quite close to the edge. "Let me go!" she protested, and fought his grip. However, Tutu was not far away, and heard the fight. She got into position, and prepared to act. Nana finally broke loose from Poe's grip, and charged straight for the ledge. "NO!" screamed Poe, as she did the grand jette off the cliff…right into Tutu's astral barque. "Nana, you cannot fly like that: you need help."

She wheeled around to see Princess Tutu at the helm, beaming and smiling. Nana panicked, realizing that things were not going how she had planned. She tried to jump from the barque, but vines suddenly rose up and pulled her down. "Nana: that is not going to solve anything. I am going to have to restrain you while we talk. Let us sail."

With that, they began to pull from the cliff face to ride over the countryside. Poe thought it looked like fun, so he decided to join them. "Whee," said Poe, "This fun, yes?" trying to cheer up Nana. Nana did not seem very interested in talking at that point, as she now looked down at her lap at the vines holding down her legs on the seat where she sat. At first, she tried to pull them off, but then gave up when she discovered that it was a useless gesture. She was completely dejected, staring blankly at her legs. "What is so bad in life that you think you have to do this?" asked Tutu. Nana muttered, "I'm a failure at everything. I can't even kill myself right!"

She then began to bawl and wail. "Why!" she screamed, "Why was I even born? No one cares! I can't do anything right! I want to die!"

Tutu realized that she was now blocking, and she then knew that she would have to get inside her heart to bring a solution. She stood up, gestured, and put her hand out. "No," said Nana, "I'll just mess up. I can't dance."

"This is a hard case," thought Tutu, "I'm going to have to take a drastic move."

"Nana, look at me," she said. At that, she lifted up the mask and feather ring, and then undid the bun, to let her hair down. She then took a few flowers, and tied her hair back. "Now do you recognize me?"

Nana's jaw practically hit the deck. She had heard stories about Princess Tutu, and had seen her picture in the paper. She had no clue that Tutu would even care about this. Now, standing before here, was a woman that looked just like Ahiru, but older. It was as if Ahiru had aged four or five years, and stood before her. "A…Ahiru?" she asked, stunned.

"No," Tutu answered, "…, and yes. Let us just say that I am the essence of what is inside Ahiru: what is really her, and what drives her to go on with life. Now, I want to deal with you. I have been watching you for some time, and I see a great person destroying herself with things that really do not matter in the end. You have let these things get to you so much you cannot even see clearly enough to see all the good things around you, and the people that love you dearly. Know that I care, and know that Poe cares, because, if we did not, would we have tried to stop you, and would I have risked all by revealing who I truly am just to help you? Stop kicking yourself, and know that you can have so much more."

With that, the vines released their grip, as Tutu said, "I do not think those are needed now," as she extended her hand again. "Please?" she said, kindly, and almost in a pleading but coaxing way. At this, Nana slowly walked forward and took her hand, and the link was made. Poe flew closely, and watched the beautiful dance they were doing, but was also careful to watch where he was going. Soon, he just landed on the deck, lest he lose them, or run into something. Meanwhile, the conversation ensued. Tutu started with, "What is it that makes you so sad?"

"I want to dance like Rue, and it is so hard," she responded.

"Is that the real reason, or is there something greater?" asked Tutu.

"I just want to do well," she reasoned.

"Do you want to do well for the sake of that," asked Tutu, "or is there something that you seek for doing so well?"

Nana had yet been trying to hide her reasons, but being linked in this fashion made it impossible for her to conceal things anymore. Tutu then asked, "I sense that you want so much out of class. I sense you have done a lot of hard work. Why?"

Nana still danced, and spoke, but externally, tears began streaming down her face without actually making a sound. Internally, she was semi-calm, but externally, her subconscious was causing her to react as if the whole thing were taking place as if they were sitting and talking. Nana finally confessed, "I tried for the intermediate class, and I failed. I worked so hard all summer, and use Rue as an inspiration to help me as I danced…"

"As _you_ danced," interrupted Tutu, "and I think that is the difference between then and now."

Nana stopped in an arabesque, as Tutu held up her arm and leg, and looked at Tutu. No words were yet being said, but mentally Nana said in a way that matched the wonder in her face at that moment, "I don't understand: I though that this was what I have been doing?"

Ignoring the question, Tutu asked, "Do you dance like yourself as Rue inspires you, try to dance like Rue, or want to be Rue?"

The dance continued, and Nana said, "I…oh, forgive me please; I have been such a fool!"

"Its okay, Nana, but you must say it, for if you hold back, you will never get over things."

Nana shouted mentally, "I'm so jealous of Rue! She makes it so easy! I want to be just like her!"

"Oh Nana!" said Tutu, "You cannot be Rue! You have to be yourself, and find your own ballet."

"I don't know what that is," sobbed Nana.

"It took her work to find her ballet," responded Tutu, "and that involved finding herself. Yet, know this: we have known each other for quite some time, and I have seen her in times before she was _en Pointe_, and trying to advance. It took her a long time, but she found it. What you are doing is trying to find yourself in another person, and that is dangerous. Many a performer has ruined their careers trying to live up to a standard that belonged exclusively to the one they admired. You do not want to be Rue as much as you think that, if you can copy everything she does at her level, you will advance quicker, because you think that you will have found some kind of shortcut or secret to advancing. I tell you, you are never going to do it until you go through what it took her to get to where she is, because it took many hours of practice, sweat, sore muscles, and harsh criticism from Mr. Katt, (which included many threats of marriage,) to get to where she is at. Furthermore, you doing this kind of work, I think, would have not been a problem for you if you had not failed the test this year. But, remember how they told you that, if you kept it up, you could go to the next level next semester? What it was that got you to where you are you must get back, so that can happen. Also, remember that, though there are those that laugh at you for your errors, remember that they are only jealous of your hard work and your willingness to do what it takes to go further, and they jump on any mistake you make to make themselves feel better about their lack as compared to what you have. Please, do not drop to this level with Rue, and know that there are others around you that do want you to do well, and that includes both me, and Rue. Take the time, and I am sure that you will make friends, and even be the inspiration for someone else, as Rue was for you. We love you so, Nana."

At this the dance ended, Tutu was seated again, but now Nana was on her knees, resting her head and arms on Tutu's lap, softly sobbing, knowing that it was alright to fail, because, in failure, we learn what caused us to fail, and learn how not to do it again. She also sobbed for joy that she now knew that she was loved. Poe even joined in as he stroked her head, cooing to her, "Is okay. We love you. You good girl."

Tutu smiled, and stroked Poe's head. Then Tutu put the mask and the feather head ring back on and said, "Now, let us get you back. There is a surprise awaiting you."

The barque landed, and let her off, and Tutu said, "This is our little secret. Please, mention this to no one, and you must tell no one who I am."

Nana promised as Tutu took off, Poe going with her. Nana returned to the dorm with a new resolve to find herself, and her own ballet. By the time she got back, Ahiru had already returned, and winked at her as she entered the dorm. Suddenly, many of the girls caught her in a group hug, and said that they all cared about her. She then went to her room, and was happily surprised to see all her things on her bed, neatly folded and arranged, with a photograph set on top. She picked it up, and it was a photo of Mai, Ahiru, and Yuma that had been taken at an amusement park on the last day of school celebration. However, there was a silhouette set between Yuma and Ahiru drawn on with marker, and a caption above it, which said, "This spot reserved for our friend Nana."

When she saw this, she started to cry all over again, except this time, it was tears of joy, as she flopped onto her back, hugging the picture. Yes, life would be better, because she would find herself, and now had friends to help her do it.


	10. Chapter 10

**X**

The time had finally come for the fall variety show. The town came in force, because they always loved the variety shows that the kids put on at least three times a year. It was also good for those students who wanted, and needed stage time, but would not normally get as much in graded performances. Because of this, it added a level of unpredictability that the townsfolk loved. It also allowed the individual creativity to flow from the students in a way that they could not get in their classes, and this was a creativity that the faculty did not want squelched. They knew that their creativity and imaginations would serve them well as professional performers one day. The six were preparing to go on, but Ahiru was as nervous as a cat in a dog kennel. She had done this the year before, and as a beginner student, in _Swan Lake_—a rare thing indeed. However, though she did well, she knew that it was the aid of the others that guided her through the performance. This was different. This was something that had no director, no instructor—save the aid that Mr. Katt had given—and no one to fall on for help except for her partner. She knew that she could not lean on him as much as she had Mytho the year before, because this was just the two of them in their sequence, and she had to do her part to do well. Billy could not help to see her nerves, and he knew he had to calm her before she went out. "Okay, why are you so scared?" asked Billy.

"Well, I'm not sacred…well, okay, I am, but….well, I know I can do this…but you need more confident…but you would not have asked me to dance if you didn't think…I mean, those people expect…oh God, those people…I can't mess up, because, what would they think…but what would they care, they don't know me…" she quacked out. Billy put his hand on her lips, and whispered, "Shh…there's no talking in ballet."

For some reason, she felt paralyzed, because Billy was looking her dead in her eyes with that smile that she loved so much about him. "Just have fun," Billy said, "I mean, that's what this is all about anyway. Where's the confident girl that I knew when we spent a month practicing this?"

She hung her head, realizing that she was about to cause what she hoped she could prevent. Rue came over and put an arm around her shoulder, giving her a sisterly hug. "You'll do fine," she said, "I've seen you do well like this: I think you do well under pressure better than you think."

"You think so?" asked Ahiru.

"Remember last year," asked Ahiru, "about a month after we defeated Edel, and some girl tried to take away my position in the advance class?"

"Yes, I remember," said Ahiru.

"What did I do?" she asked.

"You asked me to be your partner," answered Ahiru, "But…but you told me everything to do, and you even guided me into a few positions."

Rue sighed, smiled, and said, "Yes, but, what happened?"

"You won, and kept your position," Ahiru remembered.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I chose you for a few reasons": she assured, "First, I knew that it would cost you nothing, because you were not the one challenged. Second, in order to display my skill the best, I knew that, if I could guide a beginner in the dance, and make her look like she had been doing it for years; it would show that I indeed belonged in the advanced class. Third, I also knew that, if I could get you past a few difficult spots, your confidence would grow, and you would forget that it was a competition, and just have fun. In fact, about a third of the way through, though I guided you into a few positions, you were having so much fun that you added embellishments that took both our dances from good to great. You actually made me look good as I made you look good. We helped each other. That's why I said that you were wonderful. It was more you than you think, honey. They won't kill you if you make a mistake. All they want is to have a good time, and if you can look like you're having a good time, they will."

This seemed to calm her down a bit, if only to get her to ponder what Rue had just said, and get her mind off her nerves. Billy paid close attention to all of this, and he knew what might add to what Rue had just said. He walked up to her and said, "You know all the moves. Going through it should be no problem, because it should be instinctive now."

Billy thought for a moment, and then said, "Look, I know we go on soon, but I want to try to tell you something we have been learning in acting classes, and it is called 'The Method.' I'll tell you about in detail after this is all done, but for now, what you need to do is find something in you that can relate to all of what we are about to do. Let me ask you: what do you think is the most beautiful thing about you?"

She looked puzzled at the question, and then Billy asked, "Really, what is the most beautiful thing about you?"

She finally answered, "My long hair. Its something I have that not many girls can grow."

Billy then asked, "So, you think that makes you beautiful?"

She began to brighten, and then said, "Well…yes…I mean…ever since the first dance, when I just tied it back, and wore it long. I knew then I had some kind of beauty."

"Yes, I remember," Billy said, tenderly, "You have no idea how mature you looked, and how you were turning the eyes of every boy at that dance. Remember when we did 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds?'"

"Yes," she said, "It was so beautiful to me."

"Did you see yourself as Lucy?" Billy asked, knowing that something was beginning to click, "Did that help you when you did that variation, stunning the whole house?"

"It was a bit embarrassing, but, yes, I guess so," she answered.

"Then," said Billy, "go out there and do it again, Lucy. Bring up those feelings again while we dance. Let your hair give you confidence, because that is something that gives you a confidence: hair that not many others have. It is a beauty you know you have, that no one else can take away."

Now Ahiru began to look dreamy, and her heart began to race anew, but this time, it was because she felt a strength she had never had before. To top it all off, Billy gave her a long, tender peck that sent her heart into overdrive, and then said, "That's amore."

At that, the emcee then said, "And now, six of our ballet students are going to engage in a contemporary variation in three parts—three duets—showing what sometimes end up three phases of love: falling into love, a commitment to love, and lost love renewed."

They took their positions behind the curtain, ready to try to dazzle the crowd. The host continued, "Please welcome the Pas de Six!"

(Since a duet is a pas de deux, a trio is a pas de trois, and so forth, they felt that their team would best be called the Pas de Six.) The curtain opened to a makeshift street scene. Mary and Fakir sat at the middle table, Rue and Mytho sat apart at separate tables, and Ahiru sat alone. Billy then walked on, saw Ahiru, acted as if his heart had been smitten, and the music began. Ahiru was still soaring a bit, but the butterflies came back a bit when the curtain opened, and the lights hit them. However, when the music started, and she saw Billy looking like he had fallen head over heels for her. Once they engaged in their dance, the words began to play in her brain, and because of how well she knew the song now, (after having gone over the routine so many times,) she now realized that she was feeling exactly like what the song described. The song suddenly took on a new life for her, and she then attacked the dance with gusto. Suddenly, Billy was having a touch of difficulty keeping up with her. It did not show to the audience that this was happening, but Billy was not trying to keep up with her because she was going too fast, but because he was so surprised at how aggressive she had become to dance. It now seemed like she was the one urging him on rather than the other way around! Billy redoubled himself, and then began to throw himself into his role, now bringing up the emotions he felt the first night that they had kissed. Their dance became quite explosive, and even a bit passionate, which is just what the song called for. The other four now knew that the pace had been set, and they would have to work hard to match what they had done. As the last strains of the song finished, Billy was seated, with Ahiru on his lap, his arms around her waist, her hands cupped on the back of his head, both looking passionately at each other. The audience thundered with applause, but they could not yet acknowledge them until all the dances were done. They then parted, as she twirled into the seat opposite Billy, and then both turned their attention to Fakir and Mary. "Round and Round" began to play, and they began to express a dance where the kind of love that Billy and Ahiru just expressed had grown into a point where the two becomes one, and it would seem odd and wrong that something so beautiful should part. The energy of the song played into their dance, as they expressed the excitement of a lifelong commitment and the excitement of a new life together. It actually enhanced the dance before, which then reciprocated their effort by showing how great a thing such a love that had been expressed in the first dance was when it grew into marriage. This, in turn, added power to the final dance in what Rue and Mytho expressed. Theirs was a display of such a great love having been fractured for whatever reason, and how both sides realized how wrong they had been to split. This displayed the strength of such true love, in that, no matter what may try to destroy it, that love would stay strong, and come together again like the gyroscope that had been tilted over, and then righted itself. The dance was quite powerful and passionate, starting with reluctance to join, followed by expressions of apology between them, then followed by remembrance of the good times of the past, and then the passionate embrace of two lovers that now had a love that was stronger than ever before, because it had survived the worst, and stayed strong. In the last thirty seconds of the song, all six danced what ballet calls the "Grande Pas de Deux." This does not have to be a duet, but it normally refers to some kind of Grande finale. At the end, all three boys were on a knee, and the girls were seated on the extended knee. The lights faded in such a fashion that the six were silhouetted against the background, and then they went out. The audience was on their feet as the lights came up, and they took their bows. It was then that they clearly saw the unmistakable sight of Mr. Katt in a tuxedo seated in the front row. He was on his feet, his paws clapping frantically. They now understood why he had put the songs in the order he had, and what he saw was a potential show business act, if they decided to stay together. He knew there was potential for them to form their own act and show that could reawaken the world to the beauty of ballet, and make it a popular form again. The six took their bows, but the crowd would not relent. They wanted more, so Billy called them together, they quickly worked something out, as Billy said to improvise as best they could. He then looked at Ahiru and said, "Remember the school dance? Do it again!"

He then went to the pit, asked for an acoustic guitar, and told them his intentions. He then plucked the strings to insure that it was in tune, quickly got a stool, got the emcee's microphone, and then nodded to the conductor. He then began to sing "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." Ahiru was Lucy, and the others began to improv themselves as different features or characters of the song. It was a touch rough, but because the crowd was so impressed with their first dance, the audience was willing to forgive this. Even Mr. Katt sat there stunned. He was now even surer that they had something great, because now they have displayed a multitalented ability that could sustain them for quite a long time as an act. If they stayed with it, they could be an act that would always be in demand. After another ovation, the audience finally allowed them to leave. Once they got below stage, where they could not be heard by the crowd. They all began to whoop and scream. Ahiru now began to understand what Mr. Johansson meant about the few moments of adulation making all the hard work worth it.

Later, as they all left the theatre together, Ahiru talked to Rue, and said, "Thank you for helping to calm me. But there's something I don't understand?"

"What's that?" asked Ahiru.

"Just before we began," answered Ahiru, "the butterflies came back again."

"You too?" asked Rue, smiling knowingly. Ahiru looked surprised at Rue's answer. "I don't understand: you were scared?"

"Actually, I need them," answered Rue, "and so do you. You see, if you don't have them, this means that your mind is not where it should be. It means that you are not focused. What happened to you earlier was that you were over focused. You were so worried about making a mistake, and not making one, that you would have caused what you hoped to prevent. But, what happened when you started to have fun with it?"

"They went away, and I forgot all about the audience," answered Ahiru.

"Aaand…" said Rue, "This is what you need to do each time. Congratulations: welcome to the world of show business!"

With that, she gave her a sisterly squeeze. Then Billy piped up, "You know, since we know we can sing, do you realize that we could be a song and dance act?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Fakir.

"We can learn some folk and pop songs, or even write our own, take turns in dancing and singing, maybe all sing at some point, and all dance at another," reasoned Billy.

"Are you talking about something permanent?" asked Mytho.

"Well, it will at least give us work after we all finally graduate," answered Billy, who then looked around to insure that they were alone, "and if we stay together as a superhero team, we at least have a cover."

With that, Billy said, "Let's try something: here's an Irish song called 'The Whistling Gypsy Rover.' Do you remember what I taught about harmony? Try to blend in with it."

He then began to sing it, and the others began to join in. It was a bit rough as they worked out harmonies, but by the end of the song, they were all tight. Mytho then joked, "Ah, so! The Von Trapps live again!"

At this, Fakir let out a belly laugh that was so rare for him that it surprised the others. Billy then said, in a mock German accent, "Ah zo! Ze shtoic van kanst indeed laugh, ya?"

Fakir gave him a friendly, but hard shove. Billy just took in stride, "We can save that one for the spring show, maybe even connect it to St. Patrick's Day."

They then all fell silent as they walked: Ahiru and Billy were arm and arm, Rue and Mytho looked like they were trying to merge into one entity and surprising to the others, Mary and Fakir were now walking hand in hand. Mytho liked what he was seeing, because now there was a chance for him finally to begin to soften a bit, and be more of the tender person Mytho knew he possessed, but rarely showed.

The next day was Saturday, and was normally the day when they spent their time getting their homework done, just in case there was a deed of one kind of another to perform as heroes. At about two in the afternoon, Rue had her work finished up, and decided to take a walk in the woods to relax, not thinking how much the woods had become a danger to the six since Edel had reemerged. Her thoughts were lost on the upcoming show, and she was running her part through her head, occasionally turning a dance step or two related to her role. She wanted to keep it fresh in her mind when it came time for the show. However, her bliss was soon to be rattled. "Still dancing Kraehe?" said a sweet and kind sounding voice from behind her: that is, sweet sounding to one not familiar with its source. Rue locked up, her eyes widened, and she did not even hesitate to go for the pendant. She swiftly changed, and came about to see the source of the voice. Standing there was a beautiful blonde-haired woman with straight, long hair, dressed in a very seductive dress. If one did not know who this person was, they would mistake her for a friendly, happy, and quite seductive young woman. However, this betrayed her true nature, for this was Edel standing before her. Immediately, Claire had feathers flying, but Edel snatched them all out the air without much effort. "Come, come, dear Kraehe: is that how to greet an old friend?" she said, in a seemingly sincere and concerned way. "You are not a friend!" spit Claire, "and, it is Claire now, not Kraehe."

"Really," Edel said, slightly cocking her head, still smiling a gentle, friendly smile, "What happened to Kraehe?"

"I killed her," she said, disgustedly.

"Oh no," said Edel, in more of a mocking and sarcastic tone now, "Why on earth would you ever have done that?"

"I am not the evil, jealous person you thought you could cause to emerge in me," spat Claire, "It is no longer a part of me!"

Edel waived her hand and tilted her head, as if to say, "Oh well," but then said, "So, how are you doing this? I just have to know," with her friendly smile returning to her face.

"Forces beyond your control," stated Claire.

"You mean you won't even share with your old friend your secrets?" cooed Edel.

"What do you want!" snapped Claire.

The smile remained, but then her head tilted forward, and she then furrowed her brow, saying, "I think you know well what I want!"

Edel was keeping her distance, knowing that, if she gave Kraehe, Claire, or whomever she was now, a chance to get a hold of her, she may kill Edel before she had the chance to react. Claire was indignant, and said, "We will never let you do it!"

"We?" asked Edel, "Oh, do you refer to that pitiful band that you are a part of now?"

"That 'pitiful band,' as you call them, are not going to be as easy as you think to take down," said Claire, as she began to inch closer, "You may have fooled us once before with your demeanor, but we are onto your tricks now."

Indeed, that had been the problem before. Rue had been tricked into finding the heart shards of Mytho, thinking that hiding them better would prevent the restoration of the heart of Mytho, and keep him safe, not knowing that it was actually accelerating the process. Ahiru had been tricked into thinking that Edel was trying to help her restore the heart shards. She never would have gone into the shop that Edel had set up had she not seen the beautiful tutu in the display if she knew the kind of trouble into which she was walking. Edel acted like a friend, confidant, and guidance counselor to Ahiru, even throwing in good, sound advice from time to time. She had no idea that Edel was playing one girl against the other to accelerate the job of the restoration of the heart shards in order to sacrifice the now quite purified heart of Mytho to the Raven. She did not account for how things would go for the girls, and how all of what she had planned would backfire on her as the girls teamed up. However, one thing she did know, and hoped that the girls did not yet know, was just how powerful Tutu actually was. There were abilities that she had not even tapped into yet, and abilities that she must have forgotten about. One of them was how she had defeated Edel when all hope seemed lost for Mytho. It had sent her to the realm of despair, where she would have never faced death, and rotted away in doing anything and everything to escape the feeling of despair all around her. If it were not for the Raven giving her another chance, at the cost of her virtue, she would have been done for. If Tutu learned that she could access this power in a dire emergency, this time, there would be no return. This is why she had to act. However, that had been slowed quite a bit by the introduction of the Marvels and the boys working in lockstep with the girls. She now came out to issue some warnings. "Whether or not you are 'onto my tricks,' it does not matter. I will have my revenge!" she said, now with a serious look on her face. "Oh really?" said Claire, "This is the first we have heard from in a month. Why so slow to act?"

"Let's just say I am gearing up for something big," said Edel, with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, so you've shot the wad on your minions I take it?" deduced Claire.

"Well, I do admit, it does take work in getting good foot soldiers," Edel conceded, "However; I have been working on recruiting human help. They are not as controllable as the others are, but they are more useful."

Then, Edel's disposition returned to the serious, and she then said, "Oh yes, I will have that heart, make no mistake about that!"

Claire laughed, and said, "So, you think you are just going to walk up and take that heart?"

"Of course not," Edel answered with a chuckle, "I have to make sure everything is in place."

"Then, why are you even here talking to me now?" Claire asked, "What do you want?"

"You silly goose!" laughed Edel, now truly amused and smiling, "I didn't come here to fight you. I just wanted to give you one more chance to stand down, and let me have my way. In fact, if you help me, I'll ensure that you won't suffer in the darkness, and maybe even give you a position of authority, where things would be much pleasurable for you. I'm feeling merciful today, so I came to make this offer."

"Even if it were in me to accept this offer," stated Claire, "What would happen to Tutu?"

Edel sighed, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "I'm sorry, but I would have to banish her to the realm of despair for what she did to me. It's only right."

Claire grew enraged, "If you displace even one hair on her head, Edel, I swear that I will make sure that you endure the slowest, most painful, and horrible death I can even conceive of!"

"And just what do you think you are going to do about that?" hissed Edel.

"Why am I even wasting my time talking to you," said Claire, as she moved swiftly to take out Edel, hoping to end this before it even got to the place Edel sought. Yet, Edel was swifter, and quickly parried Claire hard into the ground. "Is _that_ what you planned to do, silly girl?" laughed Edel, "I hope you can do better than that."

Before she could gain her feet, Claire had been kicked under the chin by Edel. If it were not for her transformed state, it would have broken her jaw in three places. As Claire lay there in pain, Edel gently and gracefully walked up to her, smiled her gentle and friendly smile, stroked her hair, and said, "You foolish girl: you do not have any idea what you are sacrificing for your pathetic friends."

She then pulled out an oversized raven's claw and put it to Claire's throat, still smiling, and said, "You know, I should just kill you now, and save myself the trouble. Nevertheless, I want you to live long enough to see this world plunged into darkness before I sacrifice you to the Raven. Your heart may not be as pure as I would need, yet, I'm sure the Raven would not mind it. Yet, just to get the point across, I think I should at least scar that pretty face of yours."

With that, she raised the claw. However, before she could act, a white blur appeared before her, and Tutu was now holding the claw at bay with one of two white fans that she was holding, as she knelt before Claire. She still didn't like to fight, but she now had no choice. She did a leg sweep and took Edel down. Yet, this did not keep Edel down, as she kipped up very quickly and swung the claw. Tutu quickly parried the blow with her left fan, and put a cut on Edel's face with the right. "The only scar today is the one you leave with," snapped Tutu, who then took a defensive ballet stance over Claire. She had come into the woods, because she had a question about the show that she knew Rue could answer. She came on the scene just as Edel had kicked Claire, and quickly transformed. She had already learned about the fans that she could summon when she needed them, as Claire could summon her feather darts, and knew that they could be good defensive tools. However, this was the first time she learned of the offensive capabilities. "Surrender now, or face certain defeat," said Tutu.

Edel was enraged, but was too concerned about the cut to continue. She would have to retreat to assess how badly she was hurt. "There will be another day, ballet brat!" she hissed, "It won't be that easy to take me!"

With that, she reached into her sack, threw down some powder that exploded into a smoke screen, and she made her retreat before either of them could react to her flight. Tutu was surprised she had it in her to do what she did. Claire regained her feet, and said, "Now, those were some sweet moves, sis!"

"It was only because you were in danger that I even did what I did," said Tutu, "I would rather find other means to settle things than fighting."

"Well, I'm just glad I know that you can take care of yourself if you need to;" said Claire, "Just don't hesitate to use those things you know how to do when they are needed. If you hesitate at the wrong moment, someone may be killed. Let's go home."

As they walked, and changed back to themselves, Rue asked, "Why were you even out here?"

"I had a question about the show," answered Ahiru, "but now I don't even remember what I was going to ask you."

Rue laughed at this, as Ahiru continued, "How long before she comes back?"

Rue thought for a minute, and then said, "Well, I think she's out of minions, so I think she just came out herself to try and keep us off balance as to her plans. She would not have bothered otherwise. Yet now, depending on how badly you cut her, she could be out of commission for a bit."

Ahiru thought for a bit, and then said, "You know, I think that, from now on, until she has been stopped, we need to travel in twos. There is no telling what could have happened had I not come along. I don't know what I'd do without you as a friend, and a big sister."

Rue hugged her, and then said, "Looks like you were the big sister today!" and they both went back to the school.

Back at her lair, Edel was applying certain mosses and herbs to her face to seal the cut, for it was a deep one. It finally healed, but there was a notable scar now. She was enraged beyond measure now, and started to take it out on whatever was nearby. She wanted revenge now more than ever. That little ballet brat had interfered again, and was making her more angry by the minute. What's more, she wanted to go after whomever it was that gave them back their powers, for this would make her task far more difficult. She also did not know what she would do with the Marvels, because theirs was a strength that she had yet to assess, and powers she knew nothing about. She would have to find out more about them, and see what she could do to stop them. After she did gain her revenge, she would not rest until she found out who it was that gave them the ability to fight her, and make him or her pay to the 25th power for what he or she had done. That would take some time. It would also be harder now to seduce some human help with the scar, but she would make it happen. Meanwhile, she was working to form an army of raven men, enough to insure that none could stop her. This would also take some time, as she was going to hold them back until the whole army was formed. She wasted the others she had, and could not risk anymore of them. She also worried about their contact with Superman, and what that would mean. If it meant that more heroes would be involved, this could get bad quickly. She would have to be more cautious. Her worst fears about Tutu discovering more and more about that which she was capable was coming true. She hoped that the discoveries about abilities would be slow in coming, for if she blossomed into the powerful creature she was, there would be no hope at all for her. Yet, she would have to be patient. Her time would come.


	11. Chapter 11

**XI**

It was now two weeks before the fall festival, and the students involved with the show were now having class in the theatre, ironing out the blocking on the stage, working with the set for the first time, and getting used to doing the show in the auditorium. This was the time of frustration, when fine-tuning and tweaking of the performance was taking place, which also seemed to raise the tempers of everyone involved. One class actually took place on a Friday evening during tech night, when they had full clearance to be out of the dorm. That kept them up until about 2 A.M., and gave everyone the sense of seriousness that accompanied a project as they were doing. No one took anything that was said personally, because they all knew that they were under stress, and knew no one really meant the things that they said. Even Rue and Mytho were on each other, even Billy and Ahiru from time to time. Yet, they were always quick to make up with one another after rehearsals. One thing that helped Rue relieve some stress was through some of the volunteer work that she was doing for extra credit at a local dance studio, as she was helping instruct the young children that went to the studio. These students were ages 6-10, and a few of them were hoping to go to Kinkan when they were old enough. It brought her some joy to see the bright, hopeful faces of children who constantly reminded her of the reason why she danced at all: the sheer joy of it. The brightest student there was one Susan, who was about 10 years old, and working through some hard times. Her mother was a widow, and had to work to keep things together, so she quite often had to wait at the studio for her mother. Rue took it upon herself to wait with her, and do a little extra work with her one on one. In the recent days, a new shop had opened up not two doors down, and it was a store that sold dance clothes, shoes, and other paraphernalia, especially to the young dancers. On the day it opened, it was full of all the young dancers with their moms and dads, looking over all the different things, begging them for one thing or another. The proprietor, one Jim Martin, was more than eager to help everyone find the best selections. He was anxious to make a good first impression on everyone in the town, and even was able to approach the instructors of the studio about some good deals on recital costumes. He was friendly and outgoing, and seemed to have a way with the children that set them at ease, and helped calm an anxious child to aid the parents in helping with the child as they shopped. Since children were to be his biggest clientele, it seemed logical that he would be good with children, especially if he had been in this business for some time.

As the last purchases were being made, Rue was with Susan as she looked around at the clothes. Mr. Martin approached Rue as Sue looked around, and said, "Well, you seem rather young to be her mother."

Rue giggled, and said, "Oh no, I'm not her mother. However, I do somewhat watch her until her mother can come to pick her up from work. It's a hard row to hoe to be a single parent."

"Oh yes," assured Mr. Martin, "I feel for every parent that has to put up with that. I've seen plenty of them in my time."

"So, how long have you been at this?" asked Rue.

"Oh, I'd say about 13 years or so by this point," he said.

"That explains your good hand with the kids," said Rue.

"Well, I just love the dance, and those kids are so much fun at it," said Mr. Martin, "They are so pure: they put so much heart and enthusiasm in what they do, and they don't care how they look, or what people think about it. They just do it, and have a ball. I think we all have something to learn from that."

Rue agreed with this, and added, "Well, they help remind me of the reasons why I stared, and it is so much fun to watch them have so much joy over even the smallest of victories."

Susan ran up to Rue with a couple of outfits and said, "Can I get these?"

"Well, I think your mom needs to see those on you first, and then decide if you can have them at all," said Rue.

"Aw," Sue said, dejectedly, "I know mommy would say, 'Yes,' if you said something."

"I'm sorry, honey," said Rue, "You'll have to wait for your mother, and I don't think she'll have time to see them on you."

At this, Mr. Martin interjected, and said, "Well, there is a way."

Rue looked interested at this, and said, "Really? How so?"

He answered, "Well, I also do promotional photographs for studios like the one here, adult shows, and so forth. What I can do is have her try them on, and take some photos, and then show them to her mother when she has some time, and then she can make the choices."

"Well, I guess that's okay," said Rue, then turning her attention to Susan, saying, "Susie, why don't you try on the first one, and then we can get some pictures."

"Really!" she said with glee, "Yippee!"

As she got changed, they went in the back, and sure enough, there was a photo studio set up, complete with different backdrops, props, and whatnot, ready for anything that needed to be done. "Looks like you're quite the professional at this," said Rue.

"You have to have all the right equipment in order to do promotional work correctly," he answered. At this Rue looked around, and realized, the place also acted as a one-room apartment for him. "You live here?"

"Oh yes, I do," he answered, "It's only until I have enough to afford a proper place, though. You have to do what you have to do."

"If you've been at this for so long, why do you have to do this?" Rue asked.

"Well, I ran onto some hard times, and I'm just trying to pick up the pieces now," he said, a bit saddened. Rue was now a bit sorry she asked, and asked forgiveness for prying. He said it was no problem, and he said everything would be all right. He then began to show her around the studio, and then showed her the computer where he did all his photo shop. "And on this," he said, "I can take the best pictures and spruce them up for the promotion, or have them ready for people like Susan's mother, for example."

At this, Susan entered the room, wearing one of the outfits, and she said, "Okay, I'm ready!"

"Do you have your dance shoes?" he asked, "You have to have those on so mommy can get a better idea of how it will look."

"Oh, okay," she said, as she went into her bag and retrieved the slippers. Mr. Martin then directed her into the center of the photo area, and said, "Okay, let's just get you standing normal, facing me. Okay? Good! Now, from the side…good, now from behind…good. Now let's see you do a few dance steps, excellent."

Rue watched as he snapped several pictures, having her go through one dance step or another. Then he said, "Very good, Susie: now go ahead and put your regular clothes on, and come back."

"What about the other outfits?" she asked.

"Well, that's the neat trick," he said, "Just leave the other outfits here, and I'll show you what I am going to do."

As she went back, Rue now became curious about the whole thing, and said, "Yes, I'm interested in this."

"Ah…" he said, "The art of Photoshop: you shall soon see its power."

Susan soon came back as he was attaching the camera to the computer, and he said, "Okay, kiddo, come over here."

She ran up, and he turned the stool and said, "Take a seat right here," as he slapped his lap quickly a couple of times. Neither thought anything of it as Susan hopped up. He then turned the both of them towards the screen. "Now, here are the pictures that we took," he said as they took a close look, and Rue leaned in as well. "Now, these are the colors that you chose, and what we can do is change the colors on the photos to match what we have here. It saves so much time," he said, as he turned the last comment towards Rue. He then continued, "Now, what colors go well together, do you think?" he said to both of them. Rue interjected her opinions, and they played around with a few schemes, Mr. Martin encouraging her to use the mouse and make the changes herself, making her feel involved. Once they settled on about three different combinations, he said, "Now, when is the next time you think your mother will be in?"

"Tomorrow," said Susan, "She comes early on those days to get me."

"Right then," he declared, "I'll have some samples ready for tomorrow."

They exited the studio to the shop proper just as Susan's mother arrived. Rue and she exchanged a few greetings and pleasantries, and she thanked Rue once again for watching Sue. She then made some nice comments on the shop, and Susan was eager to tell about all that had happened. She then asked Rue if she was there for all of it, and she said yes. She then said that they would come back to see the photos. When they left, Rue commented, "Well, that was a lot of work."

"Hey," he said, "Anything to make a sale! Besides, its good promo for the shop."

Rue then thanked him for the time, and then stated that she had to go. She said her good-byes, and went her way. At this, Mr. Martin reached down and made a slight adjustment to his garments, and then said, "I can't wait to see you again, Susan."

The next day, Susan and her mother came back, and saw the quite professional photos. They were so good, that Susan's mother was willing to buy two of the outfits that moment. However, the final week of rehearsals were taking place and Rue had to excuse herself that week in the children's class. Susan's mother had to find some way of watching her, and since Mr. Martin had earned her trust, she just told Susan to wait at the shop. Mr. Martin was more than happy to watch her, and said it would be no bother. At some point, in the middle of the week, Mr. Martin spent some time asking questions of Susan, having her tell him all her dreams and childhood fantasies. Susan then saw a couple of tutus that she liked, and she asked if she could at least try them on. Not only was Mr. Martin more than happy to let her do this, he said that he would also take some more pictures. It was not so much as she wanted to buy the tutus, but he told Susan that it would really help the store if he could put pictures of her, and her friends, in the windows, so people could see all the good things that he sold. She tried on both tutus, and Mr. Martin took plenty of photos. She was still in the second outfit, when he said to her, "Now we need to look at the best of them, and decide what to show people. We can even make a few look a bit better on my computer."

"How do you do that?" she asked.

"Well, let me show you!" he said, laughing. He then scooped her up underneath her thighs, and she screamed gleefully as he carried her over to the computer, making airplane sounds as he did. He sat on the stool as he connected the camera, and set her on his lap. Susan, not feeling she was sitting right, inadvertently straddled her legs around his.

"Now," said Mr. Martin, "Let's take a look, and let's have some fun!"

He showed her how to scroll through the pictures, and she leaned forward to work the mouse. As she did, he put is hands on her shoulders, giving them a little rub. What she did not see was how Mr. Martin tilted his head back, with a contented look on his face. "You like what you see?" he asked her, and she said, "I sure do!"

"So do I," he said, putting his hands upon her knees…

The show kept Rue from going to the school through the week of the festival, and it was quite the show. The Terrible Trio dove into their roles with relish, and Fakir was able to pass off the evil side of Dracula with ease. He was also able to portray the passionate and loving side of the character as well, as he and Mary put on quite a show. In fact, throughout the rehearsals, the two of them were growing closer and closer, and this came out as they danced. By the time it was done, you almost felt sorry for Dracula, yet, you still ended up walking out of the theatre quite terrified and satisfied. It was quite a passionate, sensual, and yet quite scary show. In the time for the first quarter grades, everyone received high marks, and the six had higher marks than what they would have because of the extra credit. In fact, Mr. Katt included a note for them that mentioned how he quite enjoyed the improvised encore performance, and said that they may even seek to stay in contact after graduation, because they indeed had a great act that just might sell. Now that it was all over, Rue was anxious to return to the studio, and work with the children again. It would be a nice break from all the rehearsals. However, when she did, things were not quite the same.

The first day back, Susan was glad to see Rue, and wanted to have her around as much as possible. Despite this, Susan did not seem herself. She was very silent in many cases, which was not like this happy-go-lucky girl who was quite the extrovert. She danced okay enough, but there was no life in it now. She asked the teacher what the problem was, and she did not know. All she knew was that the last couple of days she had been very quiet and introverted. Whenever she asked Susan to say what was wrong, she kept answering that she really was not allowed to say. When she asked if it was home, Susan said, "No." Her mother was even curious to the change in behavior. She was not eating right, and she wanted to stay in her room. She did not play with her toys or dolls much, but spent most of her time sitting on her bed, leaning against the headboard, looking out the window as she clung to her teddy bear. When the class ended, Rue asked Susan if she wanted to go to the shop to look at some outfits. Susan's eyes went wide, her face went white, and she protested in the strongest of terms that a child could produce. She clearly wanted to stay there. Not just that, but when Rue made this suggestion, she clung quite tightly to her leg. For a moment, Rue was very confused as to why she was acting like this. Then with the sight of growing horror on her face, she was beginning to derive quite a horrific conclusion. Rue looked at Susan, and said to her, "Honey, I want you to go sit by your teacher, and do not move from that spot until I get back."

She was going to the shop and hope that she was wrong. As she went up to the shop, she saw another girl from the class taking a couple of outfits from Mr. Martin, and head towards the dressing room. Mr. Martin was walking towards the door with the intention of turning the sign from "open" to "closed" when Rue entered. "Janet!" she piped up, "Come here, would you? I think I see your mother coming."

She looked at Mr. Martin, then at Rue, and gave back the outfits. She then said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Martin, but maybe I can help you another day."

Mr. Martin smiled and said that he understood, and they left. However, before they did, Rue gave a backwards glance towards Mr. Martin, looking him up and down, and then she looked him in the eye blankly. They then left. Fortunately, both Janet and Susan's mothers came, and took the girls home. Before Susan's mother left, Rue said, "I think I know what is going on with Susan, but I have to find out more. Can we talk tomorrow?"

"Sure," she said, "Susan sure isn't acting like herself. I would love to know what is going on."

After they left, Rue looked around to make sure she was not seen, ducked into an alley, and transformed into Princess Claire. She watched and waited until Martin went into the back, and she transported into the shop. She did not have to worry about alarms, considering that he lived in the shop, and he did not want to set off his own alarms. She went up to the board that would contain the operation licenses, and took some photographs of the certificates and photos of Mr. Martin with the team communicator. She began to hear the floor creak, and she knew Mr. Martin was coming. She quickly transported out and into the back alley. Mr. Martin walked in not moments after she disappeared, and was perplexed as to where the black feather had come from. Meanwhile, out back, she found what she assumed to be his car, for it was the only one back there. She took some pictures of that, the license plate, and the VIN of the vehicle. She then transported back to the school, directly into her room. Poe and Mary were given quite a start, but she was quick to calm them down. "I didn't expect you to come back as Clare," said Mary "Is there a problem?"

"There well may be," she responded, "and if it is what I think it is, I truly think I am going to be physically ill."

"Someone be naughty," said Poe, "Claire fix…make right, yes?"

"Oh yes!" she answered, "And I hope that I can restrain myself for giving this dirt bag just what he deserves if I am right!"

She contacted Billy, and asked him to contact Batman if he could, because she needed some help with investigating something. "What's the problem?" asked Billy.

"It could be a pervert, but I need to be sure," she answered.

There were a few moments of silence. Then Billy said, quite anxiously, "I'm on it! If I can get him, I am going to transfer you to him right away."

About five minutes later, now having returned to being Rue, quickly answered. "Your highness?" asked a gruff, brooding voice. "This is the princess," she answered, "but go ahead and call me Claire, darling, that's okay."

"I understand you have pervert problems," he stated.

"I may well," she said, "Can I transfer the data on this communicator to you right now?"

"Yes, you can," he said, "I'm in the Batcave now, and the phone is connected to the modem. You can do it now. What am I looking for?"

"I have some business licenses, his face, his car, plates, and VIN," she said, "I need to know if there is anything on this man."

"Go ahead and transmit now," he answered, "This is one of the few nights I have no patrols, and is a night when I get some lab work done. With what you have told me, this takes some priority, so I'll have the information for you as soon as I can."

"Thank you for letting me inconvenience you, darling," she said.

"It's no inconvenience, believe me!" he answered, "If it is what you suspect, I only wish I could be there to watch the bust!"

"Well, I have the communicator," she said, "and should be recorded. I hope you enjoy what I am going to do to this man if what I think is true."

The transmission came through clearly, and Batman, as Bruce Wayne at that moment, started running the face, name, legal information, and the car's information against all levels of law enforcement databases, from the local departments all the way up to Interpol, to see if there was anything on this man. Tim Drake, (Robin,) walked up and saw the computer running the files. "What's up, Bruce?" he asked.

"I got a call from Captain Marvel," Bruce answered, "who patched me through to a member of a super team that he is serving with on the side—one Princess Claire."

Bruce brought up her picture on one of the available screens on the Bat Computer. Tim scratched his head and said, "She doesn't look like much."

"Don't let that fool you," Bruce said, "I've seen some of the films that their JLA communicators have recorded, and she is no one to toy with."

"They're Justice Leaguers?" asked Tim.

"Let's say that we're watching them, to see if they have what it takes," Bruce answered. With that, for Tim's benefit, he punched up some of their adventures. His jaw dropped when he watched them in action. Bruce, to test Tim, asked him, "What fighting style is she using?"

"Certainly looks Japanese," he answered.

"Good eye," Bruce said, "What style?"

After about another minute, he said, "Looks like Aikido."

"Very good," said Bruce, "And more properly, Aikijutsu. Aikido is the sport form, while the other is the pure art. Her parents must have wanted to insure that she could take care of herself. What about the others?"

"It seems very Chinese," said Tim, "though I can't peg it."

Bruce glanced away, looked, and said, "It's Tai Chi. I know Billy learned it from a Chinese fellow while he was living on the street. He must have been teaching them the art."

Tim then seemed concerned with the redhead in white. "How about her: she doesn't seem to want to engage anyone?"

"That's Princess Tutu," said Bruce. Tim gave Bruce an odd look, "What a strange name!" he exclaimed.

"I'm not really sure why she goes by that," Bruce answered, "Maybe, if they ever get the chance to visit the hall, she can tell you."

"She seems so timid," Tim said, concerned about he reluctance to fight, "She's got to be more aggressive, or else she isn't gonna stand a chance."

"She has her ways," said Bruce. Just as he had said that, the one of the most recent encounters came up. Claire was being subdued by some blonde, black cloaked seductress when out of nowhere Tutu came out and defended her. Her actions were quick and precise, and the fight ended quickly. "Whoa!" Tim exclaimed, "She's good with those fans, though!"

"Like I said," Bruce responded, "she has her ways. She will go on the offensive if she has no other choice. Oddly enough, from what I can gather, and from what Princess Diana can observe, I think there are powers into which she has not yet tapped. Besides, you saw how quick and precise she was?"

"Sure did!" Tim responded.

"That was the Tai Chi," said Bruce, "Besides; it's good she can show restraint. She has leadership potential that she does not even realize she has. This means that she will keep herself from going overboard in any situation. Claire could learn something from this."

Finally, the results came up, and he started pouring over the information. The licenses were forged, but were so well done that, unless someone knew what he or she was looking for, one could have never told. There was no information on the name "Jim Martin," so that must have been an alias. The car tabs stated that the registration was current, but the plates themselves showed that the car had not been registered for some time, and the VIN also showed this. Thus, tracing him through this route would be hard. Because the tabs showed something current, it did show that this man did have something to hide, and was quite expert at hiding. Thus, at the very least, they knew that this man was on the run from something or someone. "Looks like a washout all around," said Tim.

"Maybe not," said Bruce, "The computer is now trying to match handwriting samples. Unless he is good at signing his aliases differently, this is something that usually is a deathblow to most criminals. Another thing he cannot run from is his face. Plastic surgery, if you're on the lam, is almost impossible to obtain, because doctors are on the lookout for that kind of thing. Unless one has connections with the mob, one does not want to risk black market surgery. If he is what I think, even the mob has enough scruples not to have anything to do with him, so I don't think surgery is in the picture. With today's tech, faces can be pegged to names."

As he was saying this, what he was looking for began to come up. His handwriting seemed to match four other names, and the face came up on four names as well. All the names were the same as the signatures. Bruce then took that information, and cross-referenced that with data on shops that dealt in girls clothing. They all matched. Bruce thumped the table and smirked. "He's not as clever as I thought," he said, "I'm a bit disappointed that I was able to find it so quick."

"What are you looking for specifically?" asked Tim.

"Watch and see," Bruce answered. With that, Bruce looked to see if there were any connections with molestation, and the two oldest cases showed convictions in connection with this man, and the second one shows that the second name was indeed an alias, and that this was his second arrest for child molestation. This marked him as a class III sex offender. He somehow managed to gain a parole, and he was monitored closely. However, he skipped on parole, and disappeared. The third and fourth cases were such that those two men, assumedly the same were both wanted for the same things, and with the same M-O, and both fled before he could be caught. It seemed now that he landed in this village, thinking it was small enough to hide in, yet it also seemed that he could not leave things alone. He seemed to be at it again. Without latent prints in this case, it would be impossible to say for sure. However, with this information, Claire could go to the police there, and advance the case. "It seems we have our man," said Bruce, "and he seems to be scum of the first degree. Moreover, he may have already struck, or else she never would have gone to these lengths to get help, which means we have to act with haste."

With that, he picked up the Bat phone, and called her with the information. He told her to store the data on her phone, which she could extract on any computer. Then she needed to go to the police with the information, and take it from there. Bruce then finished with, "But, whatever you do, don't panic and jump into things. This goes for the police as well, because you don't want the perp to panic as well and skip before you can act. If you need some suggestions as what to do next, call me, and I will help. I wish I could be there, though; I'd love to throttle this scumbag myself!"

"Don't worry, darling," she said, "I'll throw an extra lick in for you!"

Bruce thought, "Oh boy, this guy's going to be hurting if she catches up with him. It would be as bad as if Catwoman were to get a hold of him!"

The next day, Rue ate a quick lunch, and headed for the library. She then attached the phone to the computer, and copied the files to the machine. Once she had opened it, she was stunned at the information. Batman was kind enough to add to this a cover letter explaining what everything was for, and how to present it to the police. She then printed all the information up, kept the main information on the phone, and then deleted the file on the machine. She stashed it away, and then went back to class, anxious for dismissal. It seemed like days had passed instead of the few remaining hours of the day, but when the last bell sounded, she was out of that educational hall like a shot. She dashed out of the campus, turned the corner, hid behind the bend in the wall, and transformed. She then instantly transported herself to the police department, outside, as not to startle the precinct. When she entered, the police were quite welcoming to her, considering that the team now had a good reputation. However, they also knew that if she was coming like this unannounced, there must be some trouble that she was pursuing. Constable Brock came up and said, "Welcome, Princess: is there a problem?"

"It could be a huge one!" she said, "Here is the information on the case I've been working on."

She handed them the makeshift file, and he in turn gave it over to the resident detective. He then began to go over the record, paused, read some more, as a quite serious look on his face formed. "Brock," he said, "We may have a problem here!"

"I have the originals on this phone," Claire added.

"May I see that, please?" said Brock.

"Certainly, darling," she responded, and handed over the phone with the USB connection. They uploaded the information, and then the detective asked, "What else do you know about this?"

"I'm afraid that one of the girls in the local ballet class may have been accosted," she responded, "although I do not know to what extent."

"Then we have to move cautiously," the detective stated, "because if this man is the same man in all cases, he has quite a rap sheet. Therefore, we do not want to spook him, and cause him to flee before he can be brought to justice. Moreover, depending on the extent of the attack, there may be enough here to put this fool away forever."

"What would you like for me to do?" asked Claire.

"First of all, we have to establish anything happened at all," said the detective, "and then, if so, we need to find out what happened specifically. If you can, you must break it to the girl's mother, and Brock and I will be there to help you. We don't want her to panic and flush out the quail before we can get our guns on target, so to speak. When will she be there?"

"Today is a day when she will be able to pick her up right after ballet class," she said, "We can do it then."

"Then let's do it," said Brock, "because we have not a moment to lose."

"I'll join you at that time," said Claire, and she took her leave.

She reverted to Rue, and went to the class. As expected, Susan was quite introverted and quiet, and no amount of encouragement could help her. When the class ended, Rue said her good-byes, and then changed into Claire. Like clockwork, Constable Brock and the detective arrived in an unmarked car, so as not to cause alarm. They also approached in such a fashion as not to be seen by Mr. Martin so as not to raise suspicion. Susan's mother was confused at the sight, and was more curious when Princess Claire came on the scene. "Hello, ma'am," said Brock as calmly as he could, "How are you today?"

"I'd be doing better if I knew what was going on?" she said, quite disturbed.

The detective spoke here, and said, "Well, I kind of hoped that this would be more of a pleasant conversation, but Princess Claire here has brought us a bit of disturbing news."

"I am a good friend of Rue's," she said, "and she works closely with your daughter."

Susan's mother said blankly, "What happened to my daughter!"

"I'm afraid that your daughter may have been accosted, and we need to go somewhere and talk," said the detective, "Somewhere like the local ice cream shop, because we don't want to rattle Susan any more than what she appears to be."

Now Susan's mother face sank into despair, and she said very sorrowfully, "All right, let's go."

At this, Susan came out, and saw all that was going on, and looked scared at the sight. She was about to panic when Claire came up and scooped her up and said, "Hi kiddo!"

Susan had heard about the Black Swan, but she never thought she'd ever see her. "Uh…hi," was all she could get out. Claire propped her up on her shoulders, and said, "How would you like some ice cream?"

For the first time in days, Susan brightened a bit, and said, "Yeah, sure!"

At the ice cream shop, Claire kept Susan occupied as her mother spoke to the two officers. "So by what you've told us, she is showing all the signs of someone who has been accosted, though we do not know to what extent," said the detective.

"I can't believe this has happened!" she said, "I've tried so hard to protect her! I'm single, and it's so hard! How could I have been so careless?"

"Ma'am," the detective said, "it's not your fault. You could not have known. If this man has been at it as long has he may have, he knows well how to gain trust of both children and their parents. You could never have really known. But now, we have a chance to put this guy away forever, and you can help."

"How do I do this?" she asked, now anxious to do anything to make up for what she felt was her fault.

"Does she take a bath still?"

"Yes."

"Then what you need to do is examine her personal areas, for the lack of a better term, and see if there is scabbing, scaring, evidence of some kind of rupture, and if so, call this number," as he handed her a card, "and we'll set up a doctor's appointment. However, between that, we are going to have our team psychologist come into the ballet class tomorrow, and give a short class about personal space and touching. The way she presents it is designed to provoke a response from a child that has been attacked. That way, we might get a confession out of her, and then we can proceed."

"Why hasn't she said anything to me?" she asked.

"Quite frankly," Brock stated, "That predator may have scared her into silence in one way or another: threatened her, you, her friends, made her feel as if she would get in trouble for telling what happened. The class is designed to have her realize that she did nothing wrong, and that she needs to say something. Can you be there tomorrow?"

"With bells on!" she stated, and all was now set.

The next day, Susan's mother was there, much to Susan's surprise. The instructor then spoke, "Today, we have a special guest! Children, this is Dr. Cranston, and she wants to teach us all about personal space today!"

All the children clapped, and she had a warm, jovial smile as she began. She asked all the children how they were, and they all, (except for Susan,) thundered back that they were fine enthusiastically. "Wow!" she exclaimed, "What a great group I have here today!"

After the warm greeting, she began, "Today, I want to talk to all of you about something called personal space. Personal space is an area around you that you imagine that is always a little bit bigger than the furthest away someone standing near could reach out and touch you. You may ask, 'Why is that important?' Well, one thing I want to tell you is that each and every one of you is special. No one here is exactly the same, and each one of you has things about you that make you who you are, that no one else but you could be. That is important to know, because all this is special enough to where each one of you deserve to have people leave that alone. No one has the right to be in that area unless you allow it. This also means that no one is allowed to touch you if you do not want him or her to. This is where I would like to talk to you about good touches and bad touches. Now, what would some of you call a good touch?"

"When daddy pats me on the head for being a good boy!" one piped up.

"When my kitty rubs on my leg," said another.

"When mommy and daddy hug me," said a third.

"When we're playing tag," said a fourth.

"Very good," said Dr. Cranston, "Those are all good examples. Now, can someone tell us what may be a bad touch?"

A moment or two passed before anyone answered, "If somebody hits me," said one.

"Well, I guess you could say that," she said, "Any others?"

"A pinch," said another.

"If I prick my finger," said a third.

"Very good," she said, "But there is something else that I want to deal with. There is a kind of touch that, though it may not have seemed bad at first, can make you feel awkward and icky. In short, a bad touch is one that you know is not being done out of love. Those other touches are okay, because you know that they were not being done to be mean. But these other touches I am talking about are something that make you feel like you want to take a bath right away, that it gave you a feeling like something just was not right. Well, guess what, it is not. I then want to say, if anyone—and that means anyone—touches you in a way you did not want, and it just makes you feel wrong and icky, that person is wrong. They went into your personal space and did something for which you did not ask."

Rue began to look over at Susan. From what her mother told her, there were some injuries that it seemed Susan tried to hide as best she could. That frightened Rue as to just what caused those wounds. Susan's mom was trying her best to keep it together, but Susan was as pale as a sheet. She had her knees drawn up, head on her knees, hugging her legs. Here eyes were as wide as dinner plates, and her mouth sat half agape. "One student asked, "So, what should we do if this happens?"

"You tell a grown up that you know well right away: your mommy, your daddy, your teacher, the principal, someone you know that is not a stranger, that you have known for quite some time, and someone who can do something about it. Now, I will tell you, if someone does this, they may tell you not to say anything, or that it is your 'little secret,' or that people will laugh at you, or that he or she would hurt your mommy or daddy, or get you in trouble as if you did something wrong. Well, let me tell you; do not listen to them in the slightest! Tell, tell, and TELL! You did nothing wrong, and nothing is going to happen to you. You will not get in trouble, and you can make sure that no one else will ever have a bad touch from that person again. Another thing you have to do is to make sure that it was indeed a bad touch, because sometimes, it can be an accident. In that case, even if it is a grown-up you can tell them, without getting into any trouble, 'please don't touch me like that: I don't like that.' If they say that they are sorry, and does not do it again, then that is all right, because it was only an accident. However, if they do not stop, then you just run away from that person as fast as you can, and tell on him. If they won't let go, bite, kick, claw, pull hair…"

"But that's a grown-up: we can't hit grown-ups," reasoned one of the children.

"If they are doing what I have said, and do not stop, then hitting back is allowed. You all have permission from your mommies and daddies, from your teachers, and even from the policeman. No one is allowed to touch you if you do not want him or her to. I know this is sounding a bit scary right now, but when someone touches like this on you, he is not being nice, and may make even worse touches. Therefore, the word for today on what we have been talking about is 'run and tell' when you know it was not an accident. Can everyone do that for me?"

They, except for Susan, all nodded. She then said, "So what do we do—real loud now!"

Except for Susan, they shouted, "RUN AND TELL!"

"Wow," she said, "That was great! What great listeners you are! Now, since I came all this way, I can't go until I see some great dancing. Can you all show me how you dance, and show me how?"

They all screamed their approval, and she said, "Okay, then you will all have a short break, and begin, and then I'll come out a bit later and watch, Okay?"

At this, all the kids broke up into whatever groups they wanted, and started to chat. Susan, on the other hand, was still sitting in her spot, now trembling, and now with a look on her face of fear, rage, and the sensation that she had been violated all coming to her at once. Dr. Cranston walked over to Susan with Rue and Susan's mother, and they all knelt down to talk to her face to face. They all hugged her, and said, "Its okay honey. You did nothing wrong. You're not in trouble, nor will you ever be for what has happened. Is there something you want to tell us?"

Her answer was the beginnings of a crying ball of child. They quietly picked her up, took her to the back where Constable Brock and the detective were waiting, so as not to upset the children, and closed the door. The teacher took the hint and had the piano player start to play as she called the class to attention, to cover up anything they may hear. Constable Brock started the recorder just as they came in. At first, Susan let everything come out at once, so much so, that it did not come out in coherent words. However, they did not stop it, for they knew that she had to release all that pent up sadness and terror before she could be rational enough to talk. Finally, they were able to calm her down, and then the confessions began. Susan's mother had to discreetly step out of the room, and went outside to cry, so as not to upset the kids. Then Dr. Cranston pulled out two dolls that were very much caricatures of a male and female human, but they were nonetheless anatomically correct. She then said, "I know this is going to be hard for you to remember, because I know this hurts so much. But, honey, what I need you to do is take these two dolls, and tell me exactly what he did, step by step."

Rue stood in horror as the story unfolded. Susan was only halfway through when Rue then had to excuse herself to the bathroom, and became violently ill. Then, a sense of rage overcame her, and she could restrain herself no longer. Law or no law: this creep had to go down. For her, there was enough probable cause to act. She needn't have worried, because, at that moment, the detective was already on the horn to get a warrant for this man. Therefore, what she did next would have been absolutely justified.

At this point, Mr. Martin had half of his things already packed into the car in the back, and was looking to make a getaway. He began to grow suspicious when the young, Japanese girl came in and whisked away that girl, and then when he found the lone black feather in the room: none of his outfits had black feathers. Then, business to his shop began to dwindle, and then cease altogether, because word had already began to spread about what may have happened. This was a pattern he was well familiar with, and lack of experience in the past had allowed him to be arrested. Now, time and experience had taught him what to look for, and he was making his move. He was starting on some personal items when he saw a swirl of black feathers and mists appear in on the hood of his car. He was scared stiff, because he had never seen the likes of this before. When that faded, there stood Princess Claire, with a look on her face that said that she was in no mood within which to be trifled. "Going somewhere?" she hissed between her teeth.

He locked up like a deer in headlights. "Surrender now, unless you wish to resist," she said, but then quieted, narrowed her eyes, grinned an evil-looking grin, and said, "and I do hope you resist."

He panicked, threw the pile of clothes in his hands at her, and decided that he was going to leave right then and there. Even though most of his belongings were still in there, he had taken out enough of what would be incriminating evidence to make a clean getaway. Experience had also taught him this. He hopped in the driver's seat, and gunned up the motor. That caught the attention of those in back, who were wrapping things up, and consoling Susan as much as they could. Constable Brock was out the back door in a flash. The car started to pull away quickly, but Claire easily did a flip off the hood, and landed in a _pose_ not too far from the car. Instantly, her hands filled with feathers, and she flung them. About five of them lodged in the sidewalls of two tires, immediately puncturing them to the point where they quickly went flat. Martin was caught, and he knew that he now had to fight his way out of this. Although this was not his strongest suit, he figured that he had some chance. After all, this was some grown up female dog to him, and not like his pretty, young princesses. He jumped out and charged her, but she quickly redirected his inertia into a wooden fence. Though she was enraged, she still knew that she had to act within the law. When he came to his feet, he produced a healthy sized buck knife. He then turned it in his hand, blade along his wrist, and turned the knife side away. This told Claire that he knew what he was doing with that knife. Constable Brock had his pistol out, and was ready to take this man out for producing a weapon, but Claire called him off, saying, "NO! He needs to be made an example out of: let me handle this."

With this, she produced to black Japanese fans. Tutu had taught her about these, and now had a chance to use them. The man had produced a knife, and escalated things to where restraint was no longer a matter. He did not think anything of them, and thought them normal fans. Yet, when he went to swing, the knife deflected off the metal fan, and then he now knew that these to be Japanese fighting fans. Now he was in trouble. She parried the attack, and spun the other fan around so quickly it looked like a blur. Martin's sweater and shirt were sliced open, but his skin was not broken. She did this to demonstrate just who was in control of things. Now he was fighting for his life, and started to panic, yet started to make clumsy attacks. On the next thrust, she pirouetted out of the way doing his sleeve the same way, except this time she nicked him. He then tried to stab backwards, but Claire caught the arm, and said, "Playtime's over!"

In a flash, she had the fans closed, grabbed his wrist with her right hand, and struck at his elbow with all her might with the other. The pops echoed off the walls of the alley, as well as the screams. The children heard this, and wanted to investigate the matter, but the teacher kept them all together, and told them to wait, because their parents would be coming soon. Just as fast as this, she brought her left knee up between his legs as hard as she could. With the doubled strength, you heard a crunching sound, and you saw blood trickle down his pants leg. It hurt so much that he could not even scream before he went unconscious.

After a statement, they were hauling this man off in a stretcher. As it turned out, this was the same man in all cases. However, whatever the outcome, they all knew his molesting days were done, because they told Claire that she had made him quite "eunuch." She left immediately after, but instead appeared in Mytho's room. This was quite a shock to the boys, who, fortunately, were wearing sleep pants and tee shirts at the time. Tears were streaming down her face, and Mytho did not need her to say anything, because he had already sensed the problem. She ran up to Mytho, embraced him, and sobbed, "Hold me!"

She cried and cried for Susan, knowing that, though they had caught the man, and no matter how much counseling Susan receives, though she would get over it, she would forever be scarred. Her innocence was robbed from her, and it would never return. Her life would never be the same, and there was nothing Claire could do about it. All the other two could do was watch. Billy wanted to say something about these kinds of situations, but then thought that it would be better another time. He did say, "Turn it into something else," for this was all that could be done at that moment. He would talk to her later. For that moment, it was needful for this. She had learned that night that, though you may always bring justice, you cannot protect all people at once. This is the one thing that a superhero needs to learn to cope with, and Billy knew that she would turn it into something else in time. Superheroes bear many scars.


	12. Chapter 12

**XII**

It had been a few days since the incident, and Rue was beginning to come around, but she still was clearly marked by the incident. When the time was right, Billy gave her what advice he could, and taught her that she had to turn it into something else. He helped by sharing a time when he was a new hero, and how, in attempting to stop the invasion of an alien race of worms that could control minds, he accidentally sucked the entire race into the vacuum of space. The only survivor swore revenge, attempted to gain that revenge, and now sits in a special cell in the state prison. Although they needed to be stopped, he knew that he was also responsible for the eradication of an entire species of sentient creatures. All he knew was that he had to go on. He also had to console himself with the thought that, had they reached earth, there may have been no stopping them, because they could psionically control any creature and that would have been disaster. It may have been overkill, but they were stopped. He also used this as a guide always to teach him to be more careful in the future with his actions, always to remember that one small miscalculation could cost greatly. Furthermore, he told her that we must accept that we cannot change the past decisions that we have made, but we can change what we do from that point forward, and that we need to keep going, or our foes shall win. In this case, if she caved in, Martin would have won. This helped, but it would take time to be fully normal again.

For now, the attention of the class turned to the Christmas performances coming up right before Christmas break. However, the school had the tendency to avoid _The Nutcracker_, because so many other companies perform this, and things like that get a little monotonous. Instead, they tried to keep a variety. The younger classes were lent to the local performance of the show, so they could get the experience. Meanwhile, the intermediate and advanced classes would be split between two different shows. Billy, however, was a bit torn. The theatre department wanted him for a performance of _A Christmas Carol_, but Mr. Katt wanted him as well. When Billy explained his plight, the theater dean, and Mr. Katt, discussed things, and they figured out that they could set rehearsals in such that he could do both. Despite that, Mr. Katt explained that Billy was going to be strapped. Homework still had to be done, and then there was the stress of two shows. Billy said that he felt up to the challenge, and knew that most of his homework would have to be done between takes, and he knew that this meant many late nights. As for the class, certain select ones would be used to perform _Cinderella_, while the rest would be used as part of the music and voice departments' performance of the oratorio _Carmina Burana._ On the next day of class, Mr. Katt announced whom he wanted in _Cinderella_, and whom he wanted to play what role. Considering the skill of the six, he knew he could center things on them. However, he lent Yuma over the beginners, because he knew she had a good chance to land the lead in _The Nutcracker_, and wanted her to have that chance. Mai and Mary went to work in the oratorio. That left the rest. Mr. Katt said that he wanted Rue to play the lead. However, she thought for a second, and then said, "Mr. Katt, I think Ahiru could handle that role."

Mr. Katt looked surprised. "But Rue," she sputtered, "that is a hard role. I admit she has come a long way since last year, even since the beginning of this semester, but she still lacks certain…"

"Believe me, sensei," she said, "There are certain reasons why I think that she can tap into herself, and take the role. She was made for that role."

"That would put you as the wicked stepmother," he said, "It is not as prominent a role."

"That's fine," she said, "I can't have a lead role all the time."

Yet, Ahiru paid close attention to the conversation, and was frightened. She did not expect to have any big roles yet, so she was quite surprised at this suggestion. Rue had only given her Odette the year before because she was attempting to make up for how she had treated her the year before. Now, there seemed to be no reason for this. "Are you sure you want to do this, Rue," she asked, "This is your grade we're talking about."

"I'll explain later," she said. Rue would have it no other way. Mr. Katt then said that Billy would be playing the prince, which suddenly made Rue smile even bigger. That meant the two of them would be doing quite a passionate _pas de deux_ together, and her reasons for balking at the role made her choice that much better. Mr. Katt then announced that he would be playing the father role. (He liked to be involved with the performances, because he could also observe the students directly, and be able to keep disaster from striking if something were not going right on stage.) He then looked at Ahiru, and said, "This means that you and I will have a _pas de deux_ in the first scene. At least I can guide you through that."

Ahiru weakly smiled, not sure, if doing this with Mr. Katt would be very fun. He was her teacher, and a cat. How could she sell off a father-daughter love with someone like this? All of a sudden, the two other boys were starting to figure something out at the same time, and they realized what roles they had. Sure enough, Mr. Katt announced, "As for the two ugly stepsisters, well, hi boys!"

Both of them shrunk down on the mirrors against which they sat. It got worse! "With that," Mr. Katt said, "would you two come here, please, I have something for each of you!"

They both got up slowly, and approached cautiously, not knowing what was about to happen. Mr. Katt then turned around and handed both boys their own toe shoes kits! Both boys opened the bags, and looked in horror. There was everything that they needed, and nothing they wanted to use! However, when the girls realized what was going on, they all flocked around them, all giving their tips on use and wear, mostly in a teasing way. They did want to help, considering the lack of experience with this kind of shoe. On the other hand, they could not help but feel a sense of revenge, and could not wait to watch them struggle. Things got worse for them, because, when they tried to go set the bags down, Mr. Katt said, "No, no, boys: you need to be used to them before the show, which means you need to start learning the use of them now. Please, put them on, and ladies, give them a hand."

At this, there were shouts of glee, and then they boys were overwhelmed as they were sat down, had their slippers ripped off their feet, and the girls began to prepare their feet for the shoes. They all were giggling as they commented on their feet, how cute they were, and how much more tape and powder it would take, considering the difference in size between most men and women's feet. The boys looked over the cluster at Billy, hoping for a bit of sympathy. All Billy could do is smile and shrug.

Later on, Ahiru caught up with Rue in the science hall, and she just had to know. "Why did you give up the lead like that?" asked Ahiru, "You would have been so good at this!"

"Remember what Billy taught you about the Method?" Rue responded.

"Yes."

"Well, look at how things have gone for you," returned Rue, "Don't you think you have more in common with Cinderella than I?"

Ahiru rubbed the back of her neck, thought, and then said, "I guess I can see your point."

Rue then added, "Isn't Billy going to be the prince?"

"Yeeessss…" said Ahiru, slowly, and not sure where Rue was going with it.

"Well…" said Rue knowingly.

Ahiru turned as red as a tomato and smiled weakly. Rue then said, "Don't you think you could pull off the _pas de deux_ better with him than I?"

Ahiru silently conceded the point, and then Rue said, "Besides, I didn't look forward to the _pas de deux_ with Mr. Katt," and lightly nudged her. They both laughed, and then, they both looked up to see Fakir and Mytho walking the other direction, both walking very tenderly and slowly, both with a look on their faces that seemed as if they did not know whether they had been shot, kissed, powder burned, or snake bit! The girls saw this, and laughed even harder. All the boys could do is sneer as they passed. "_Mein Gott_!" uttered Fakir, "I think my toes are going to be in my heels by the end of this show!"

"I cannot understand why the girls look forward to going _en Pointe_," responded Mytho. As they continued, they passed by the chemistry classroom, now being run by a new teacher named Mr. Van Hellmann, taking over for the teacher that had retired the year before. They also heard the conversation going on in the room with the janitor. "How could you have left the chemical closet unlocked like that!" thundered Van Hellmann.

"I swear to you, I didn't leave it open!" the janitor responded.

"_Dumbkoff_!" he thundered, "Get out!"

They watched as the janitor left, quite angry for being accused for this deed, ignoring the follow up statement, "Have you any idea what some of those chemicals can do in the wrong hands?"

"Good day," said Mytho in German, "What is the problem?"

"Ah, it is so good to hear the native tongue," said Van Hellmann, "But, it is okay, boys: nothing I cannot handle."

"Some chemicals were stolen?" asked Fakir.

"Not just some chemicals," he responded, "but the same ones. Those chemicals can be used for some very bad things. Moreover, this is not the first time this has happened."

"How did they get them?" asked Mytho.

"That careless janitor," he said angrily, "I am always careful to lock the closet, because I know how dangerous those things are. I wish he only understood this!"

"Is it possible that it was a slip of mind?" said Fakir.

"Ach, maybe," he conceded, "but highly unlikely. You have to be careful with these things. You have already had this class, yes?"

"Last year," they both answered.

"Then you remember all the safety measures in here," he said, as he pointed to the chemical shower, eye wash stations, and so forth, "I cannot afford some student getting in here, taking these things, and trying to perform some stupid prank, or worse."

"Well, if we hear anything, we will let you know," said Mytho.

"Ah, thank you," he said, "You two are good German boys, yes? You have good heads. Please, tell me anything you may have heard."

With that, they all took their leaves. The two brothers walked silently, but Mytho was pondering the whole thing. Fakir noticed his deep thought, and asked, once again in English, "Something bothering you?"

"I guess I could believe some of that," said Mytho, "yet, I can't help sense something slightly amiss."

"What do you mean?"

"He seemed sincere enough, but there seemed also to be a sense of him restraining something."

"Is this something you detected through your empathy?"

"Very much so, and, it was a sense of hiding something."

"Do you think he was lying?"

"I don't know. Maybe: but it wasn't something so strong. It seemed more like he may have left it open, he had forgotten that he had, and was looking for someone upon to blame it and save face."

"It could be. Of course, it could be something we can look into, or keep our ears open about, but it might not be something big enough for the Chess Knights to deal with."

"I guess so. Well, let's not make much ado about nothing, we have enough to worry about," said Mytho, pointing to his feet. They laughed, and looked forward to the weekend. Billy was going to take everyone to a music shop, because he wanted to get them all instruments. If they could pick up the instruments, then the act that they were toying with could have more punch.

On that Saturday afternoon, after they had gotten most of their homework done, the six went into town. As they left, however, they saw Mr. Johansen talking with the campus security. Poe was there with some paint and rollers, preparing to paint over something painted on the wall. "I cannot believe you could not catch this happening!" exclaimed the headmaster.

"Hey, sometimes these kids are quick," he responded, "They know how to leave these things within seconds, and be gone."

Billy recognized what it was, and he said, "I guess they didn't learn from the last time."

"What do you mean?" asked Ahiru.

"This is a gang tag," he said, "specifically, the Fawcett 126."

"Not again," said Rue, as she rolled her eyes.

"'Fraid so," said Billy.

"Pardon me for being ignorant," said Mary, "but what does the number mean?"

"They are a part of a larger gang," he responded, "These gangs sometimes have a national network, and this number is not too dissimilar to the kind of numbering system that the military units use to designate from one another. The 126 is only one branch."

Mr. Johansen overheard the speech, and said, "Whatever they are, they need to be stopped from doing this!"

"Why do they do this?" asked Ahiru.

"Sadly, this is also not too dissimilar to a pack of wolves marking their territory," Billy said.

"Hold on," said Mytho, "Do you mean they are trying to claim the school as their territory?"

"That is exactly the point," said Billy.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Mr. Johansen.

"Apparently, someone on this campus has some dealings with them," responded Billy, "and they are marking this as their turf, telling other gangs to stay out, and that all under the tag are under their 'rulership' for the lack of a better term."

"Oh really," said Mr. Johansen, "So you are saying someone here is a gang member?"

"It is possible," said Billy.

"Then it looks like we need to have an assembly on Monday to address this," said Mr. Johansen, "and thank you for the information, Billy."

"Glad to help," he responded, and the six went their way. All this seemed strange to them, and then Billy said, "If there is gang activity, whoever it is, is really good at hiding it. Number one, we need to find this clown, and number two, we need to nip this in the bud, or else the town is going to be overrun with the 126, and the gang wars that come with that. The Secret Six need to make it quite clear that Kinkan is very much off limits to any gang, and that any gang is going to pay dearly for even getting within spitting distance of this school."

They arrived at the music shop, and then he started by asking if any of them have any kind of experience on an instrument. Fakir said he had played some bass before, but added that he was very rusty. Billy assured him that this was okay, because he could get Fakir up to speed in time. Mytho also stated that he had started out on the violin before the 'incident,' referring to the shattering of his heart. Billy then said that the knowledge was still there, and all he needed to do is get some self-instruction books and brush up. Mary said that she also took guitar, but that she had not learned any lead on it—just the chords. Billy said that this was fine, and learning a little lead was no problem. All she needed to do is refresh her skills, and he could help with the lead. Billy said that, because of the folk sound they were aiming at, he wanted to get a mandolin. He then said that both Fakir and Mytho could help him, because the fingering on the mandolin was similar to the violin or the bass. That left Rue and Ahiru. Neither of them had played any instruments, so Billy had to figure something out for them. They then went in, and all but Rue and Ahiru were going to their respective instruments, trying different ones. Billy looked at Rue, thought for a moment, and then saw a concertina. He picked it up, and brought it to her. The instrument itself was a bit technical, in that, one had to learn the fingering, but he felt it was something within Rue's ability to pick up, and that she could learn some chords in time. If they ended up an act, then that would be something that they would be practicing all the time anyway, so she would become skilled in time. Ahiru, on the other hand, was someone of whom he was not sure how quickly she could pick up playing music. Therefore, he needed to find something easy. He then spied a 21 chord chromatic autoharp, keyed out in the complete circle of fifths. All she needed to do is to become familiar with where the chords were on the instrument, and learn when to play what. In time, if she kept up with it, she could learn how to play melodies on the instrument, but that would come with much practice. Rue was already starting to feel out the concertina as Billy went for the autoharp. He pulled down, gave it to Ahiru, and told her how the instrument worked. Uncle Dudley had advanced him enough money to make these purchases, considering the price of instruments, and how much all these, the instruction books, and all the paraphernalia that went with them would cost. Fortunately, he had enough squirreled away for this, but he also knew that he was about to shoot the wad for this. Billy figured that this would be an investment that could pay off in spades, so he was not worried. However, he also knew that he would have to be frugal for a few weeks to rebuild the funds. Once everyone had made his or her choices, Billy paid for the whole thing in cash, much to the great delight of the shop owner. Billy then said, "I have to get back to my homework, so what everyone can do is start looking at their books, mess around with the instruments a bit, and then tomorrow, we can meet somewhere, and I can help all of you."

It was decided that they would all meet in the girl's dorm, (visitors of the opposite sex were allowed to visit in the dayroom, as long as there were at least three in the room.) and practice then. Billy knew that they could pick it up quickly, because they had a collective ear, they had the discipline enough to handle ballet, being superheroes, and to pick up Tai Chi. They were getting to the point where he was not leading as much as the others were doing it alongside him. Billy also knew that these things were good to help them cohere as a team, in that, everyone would begin to know how the other thinks, and thus, they could act as one entity. This would be vital just as much on the stage as it would be acting as heroes.

That night, Billy was still pouring over his books, almost done with all his work and he began to wonder if taking on two shows had been a wise thing. On the other hand, he also knew that he needed the grade for theatre, and so he had to do this show. NOW sleep was going to be a luxury! Mary was still fairly fresh on the guitar, so she did not take long to get back into playing. She spent most of her time teaching Rue how to read the music, and painting the notes on the keys so she could learn where they were, and become more familiar as to what they sounded like. Meanwhile, Ahiru learned that, though this could be easy to learn, maintaining it would be a bit of a chore. There were so many strings on it, and keeping it in tune would not be very fun. She also saw how changing a string could be difficult. She fiddled around with it some, seeing if she could pick out a tune or two, much to the chagrin of her roommates. She was so infatuated with getting to know the instrument that she had not realized how late it had gotten. Finally, the other two said, "Good night, already, Mozart!"

This brought her to, and she quickly apologized, and slunk into bed. The next day, they all met, they spent about four hours getting instruction from Billy, and he made a world of difference for them, as he helped them to feel comfortable with their instruments, and helped to fill in the gaps that a book would leave as opposed to hands-on learning, and personal instruction. By the time they were done, they had learned how to play a couple of basic tunes, and became a bit more enthused to try this idea of a song and dance act. One thing was for certain, it would be one of the most unique acts ever done, because who ever thought of using folk music, and folk styling, while dancing ballet. Of course, there would be moments when they all would dance, and then they could use recorded material. That could then be anything. He then said that they could work on something for the Christmas variety show, where some could be dancing, and some playing and singing. He also said that he would kick around some ideas for them to try the next morning before class. "Hey, gang," he said, "I don't think you realize the potential here."

"Do you think it will sell?" asked Rue.

"It could," said Billy, "It all depends. If we start local like this, in this school, we can refine the thing, that, by the time we unleash it on the public, it will be a very polished act."

The next day, they all came together to practice Tai Chi, and Mr. Katt came in for the last five minutes of it. They were so engrossed in what they were doing that they did not see Mr. Katt joining them. They were quite surprised to see this, and he asked them if they did this every morning. When they said it was every weekday morning, he said that he would like to join them. They did not refuse, because they did not mind, and they would not have known how to say, "No," to him anyway. He also commented on how in accord they had become, and said that they may have something. It was then he noticed the instruments in the corner, and asked about that. When Billy explained, a smile curled on the lips of Mr. Katt, and he said, "Kids, I never thought I would see the likes of this again."

When they asked what he meant by that, he explained that, every once an a while, there would be students that come together like they had, and became something in the business later on, either as a group, or in smaller factions, using the act they had in school as a breeding ground for their act. However, these days, everyone wanted to be their own thing, and sadly, too many record companies, producers, and whatnot, wanted to be the ones to form the groups, and control all that they did. Too often, kids would form a team, go out, and then have some so-called talent scout select only one or two of the group, put them where he or she wanted, reshaped their whole act, and made them nothing more than their marionettes. However, he knowing the personalities of Fakir and Rue, it would be hard to pull the wool over their eyes. Yet, this would also make it hard to get bookings, because, normally, the theatres and the producers are conspiring with one another, and work in lockstep to insure the highest profit for them, and not the hand that feeds them. They would have to make a name enough now, independent of those leeches, to where they would have to cave into the act's demands, or else the audience would turn them right off, and they would lose the profit. Mr. Katt, at that moment, decided that he was going to do everything in his power to prepare them for this, and protect them from those leeches. He knew a good thing when he saw it, and felt that it was his duty as an instructor of Kinkan to insure the students the best possible chance to make it in the business no matter what it took. With that, he asked them if they were going to do anything for the Christmas variety show. Billy said that he had an idea where two of them would do a dance, while the four of them played. He then hooked up his laptop, and pulled out a song called "The Gift." The most well known version was what he had, and it had a girl that was about Ahiru's age when she recorded it. It was his intentions to have her sing, and then they would decide who should do the dancing. When the song finished, they all agreed that Mary and Rue would be best in doing the dancing. That meant that the rest of them would be playing. Mr. Katt then asked for a copy of the song, and then he said that he would put together some kind of choreography for the dance. However, this time, he said that there could be no extra credit for this, since he was now taking more of a direct hand in the act than he had before. Billy said that he would try to get the sheet music for the rest of them, and work out a chord sheet for Ahiru from which she could both sing and play. This would be an interesting Christmas indeed.

The next day, the janitor was again being chewed out by Van Hellmann for the loss of more items, and this time, the headmaster was there. The poor janitor swore his innocence up and down, but Mr. Johansen did not seem very sympathetic. As this was going on, Mytho told Fakir that something did not seem right, and, taking the hint, they both slipped into the classroom. The closet was indeed open, with no signs of forced entry. However, the one thing that seemed odd was the fact that nothing was of sorts. In other words, nothing looked too disturbed or disheveled. If one did not know that something had been taken, one would swear that everything was as it should be. As they slipped out, the argument was ending, and Mr. Johansen was giving a warning to the janitor not to let this happen again. Mr. Van Hellmann and Johansen were leaving, and leaving behind a fuming janitor. Mytho took a reading of the janitor, and realized that he was not lying about the closet. He looked at Fakir, and gave an indication of the janitor being okay. Mytho and Fakir then spoke a touch in German, and Mytho conveyed that the janitor was not telling lies. Fakir then asked the janitor, "Pardon me for prying, but can anyone get a hold of your keys, you know, to try to make a copy?"

"Absolutely not!" he snapped, "These keys never leave my sight or my person. They are chained right here on my belt."

At that, he extended the keys on a retractable chain that were hooked quite securely to the belt. Then Fakir asked, "Well, what about Mr. Hellmann: have you ever seen him set his keys down on the desk, or turn his back on them?"

"That, I don't know," he said, "You'd have to ask him."

"Oh, one more thing," asked Mytho, "What chemicals were taken?"

"That's the odd thing," he answered, "It's the same chemicals all the time: never a change."

With that, he listed off the chemicals, and Fakir quickly jotted them down behind the janitor's back. They thanked him for the information, and went about their business. They were now walking better, but they were still sore. They had endured plenty of blisters, and treatments of NuSkin, which were very painful, on those blisters. The ankles were also beginning to get used to the new pressure, because going _en Pointe_ calls for the use of the ankle muscles in quite a different angle than what they had been used to. Even though this was becoming quite the aggravation, they also knew that their legs would become stronger as a result, and it may aid them somehow at an opportune time. When they left, Fakir said that they needed to go to the library to do some research. This was good for Mytho, because this would give him a head start on his homework. That way, he could spend time practicing on his violin. However, Fakir had a different reason for the library. As soon as they were there, Fakir went right for the computer lab, and signed on for the use of the Internet. Once there, he did a search on the chemicals, their relation to one another, and uses. A slough of sights came up, and Fakir sighed at the sight. This would take longer than he thought. However, he decided to pick the sights that had the most matches with respect to what he entered as criteria for the search. What stood out was the fact that, where there were the most matches in on site, they almost all made reference to narcotics. He went back to the main search box, and added the words "drugs" and "narcotics" to the criteria. Of course, this added more hits, but it also shuffled to the top of the list the sites that would deal the most with his suspicions. After looking at a couple of sites, he now realized that chemicals, in various combinations, could be used as precursors for narcotics. Fakir then remembered the tag that was put up the other day, and remembered what Billy had said. Someone on this campus had gang connections, and he or she was selling these precursors to the gang for money. However, whoever it was knew how to conceal things. Fakir thought for a moment about how one could identify someone that was making that kind of money on the sly. Well, one thing he knew was someone like that, if one had no discipline, would be buying a lot of what some called—in slang—"bling." He had not seen this kind of behavior on campus, and the only ones that had that kind of money were Rue, Billy, and Mary. Yet, the sources of income for them were well known, so that would immediately take them out of suspicion. In fact, even if the person were not very bright, he or she would not flaunt a sudden upsurge in money anyway. It was going to be hard to identify the perp in this case. After a bit more pondering, he was forced to conclude that it was either a student, (which would make finding that person the same as trying to find a needle in the proverbial haystack,) a worker, (also a difficult hunt,) or…

After about three hours in the library, they went to eat. However, before they went, they passed by the main gate, and then heard a commotion, followed by, "Get it off me! Get it off me, man!"

Quickly, the boys were moving as fast as their sore muscles would allow. When they arrived, campus security was just arriving, as they saw a gang member pinned on his back by Poe, doing all he could to keep him from plucking his eyes out. Poe was not talking as much as he was cawing, and spitting out, "You bad! You bad boy! You naughty: try to hurt Poe! Poe teach you lesson!"

From the scene outside, it appeared that a larger tag had been put on the wall with another mark. What no one knew was that the other mark was a warning not to remove this tag. The one who put it there then waited for someone to come and try to cover it, (which Poe was assigned to do again,) and then beat him up as an example to all. However, he underestimated the bird's ability to fight. He had jumped out, screaming some choice words, and the threat to beat him up. However, Poe knew a bad person when he saw one, and was not shy about defending himself. He tried to pull a knife, but Poe had quickly used the roller pole on his assailant, disarming him, and then pouncing on him with a mighty leap. He then tried for his gun, but Poe quickly plucked it out of his hand, and was now going for his eyes. The punk had all he could do to keep Poe's rather large beak at bay. Mytho and Fakir both did what they could to get Poe off, making a backhanded comment to his captive of maybe letting Poe go ahead and pluck his eyes out anyway. This caused him to scream as if he was going to soil his underwear. They then managed to get Poe off, and the campus security took it from there. By this point, a small crowd had formed, and saw the result of what had happened. It was at this point they then realized that it had been good ol' Poe that had subdued this guy, and they saw how shook up he was. They then all came up and started to console him, which began to calm him down. They were so happy to know that they had a friend on campus that could help take good care of them. Even Mr. Johansen began to make offers to him to join campus security. Rue said that she would talk to him about it, and see if that is what he wanted. Rue then chuckled a bit to herself, because she knew that they did not know of the six others that were watching over things. At this, the boys turned around to see Constable Brock arriving to take this man away, and decided to get a word with him if they could. When they were able, they voiced their concerns, and stated why it was that something like this was even taking place. Constable Brock thanked them for the information, because this seemed to connect with the two or three gang members that he and the precinct had already run out of town. It seemed that gang activity was trying to settle in to the town, and with the information that Fakir had just given, it made sense as to the reason why. It seemed then that the gang was trying to set up a convenient contact point in town to make business easier. He thanked them again for the information, but then also voiced that he wished he could get a hold of the Secret Six with this information, because any help would be welcomed. Fakir stifled a laugh, and said, "I think they may already be on it, though we do not know it as yet."

The boys sat down to eat, and Mytho and Fakir began to discuss the matter in German, so as not to gain any undue attention about that which they discussed. "Mytho, I don't think it is a student," said Fakir.

"How would you know?" wondered Mytho.

"Think about it," he responded, "If it was a student, he would have to get a duplicate key, and that is almost impossible. In addition, I find it very odd that that nothing in the closet had been disturbed. Even if they knew what chemicals to go for, they would not be as familiar with the contents of that closet, or be familiar with where things were put. Therefore, things should have been disturbed in a search for the chemicals: shoved aside to find this or that, nothing knocked over, that kind of thing. Certainly, it looked like there were missing items, but it was as if the thief knew exactly where to look."

"If the thief was clever enough," interjected Mytho, "he might have tried to insure that he covered his tracks."

"That could be," Fakir reasoned, "yet…yet I don't think that he would have had enough time to be so detailed. Not only have you eliminated the janitor with you gifts, but also, I don't think he would even know where to look for things. He may be familiar with some things, because he goes in there to clean from time to time, but he doesn't go in there regularly enough to be as familiar with the items in there."

"Are you suggesting that Mr. Van Hellmann…?" said Mytho, but Fakir interrupted, and said, "You sensed something about him being evasive in some way, did you not?"

"Yes," answered Mytho.

"Then the only two conclusions I can draw," reasoned Fakir, "is either a student slipped in during a time he had to have the closet open, or he has been doing this himself, and trying to throw off suspicion."

"How do we confirm that?" asked Mytho.

"I think that, sometime tomorrow," said Fakir, "we catch him before he leaves campus, or gets into his car, as the Chess Knights, and ask him a few questions. Maybe the masks and costumes would cause him to slip in his words, and you might be able to detect something."

"This sounds like a good idea," said Mytho, and they made plans for this the next evening.

The next afternoon, as the sun was setting, the Chess Knights waited outside the science hall, and followed Mr. Van Hellmann to his car. As he approached the car, the two of them came from behind it, and stepped in front of the driver's seat. Mr. Van Hellmann jumped back in a start, but they then assured him that they were not thieves, but the Chess Knights. There was no worry about giving themselves away, because Rue had been giving the boys lessons on how to cover their accent. They told him that word had come to them about the thefts, and that they had come to discover that what had been stolen could be used in the narcotic's trade. His eyes went a little wider than normal, and said, "What does that have to do with me?"

"We just wanted to know if you have ever had a situation where you left your keys out, turned your back, and given someone time enough to press a mold of the key," said Black Knight.

"Those keys never leave my sight!" he boasted, "And, besides, no one would be able to know which key it was anyway."

"Could someone have then slipped into your closet during class time?" asked White Knight.

"Never!" he bragged, as if his pride had been hurt, "The only time that closet is open is when I need to get something out of there, and then, no student goes in without my supervision! Perhaps you should talk to that janitor. He is a suspicious fellow! There is no telling what he does when my back is turned! Now, if you will excuse me, I must be going!"

With that, he shouldered his way past them, got into his car, and sped off. Black Knight looked at White Knight, and said, "Well?"

Mytho shook his head, and said, "That man has dirt all over him! His pride just now has been his undoing. He has told on himself. He fairly well made it clear that no one goes in there but he and the janitor, and even then, none enter without some kind of supervision. The sudden fear in him arose when we started to ask questions about the whole matter, and who had access to the closet, as if he had something to hide. So, what do we do now?"

Black Knight then answered, "Tomorrow, the Chess knights need to pay a visit to the headmaster, asking for permission to case out the science hall for the next few days, and see if we cannot catch the thief. We must also explain our suspicions without naming names: we do not know whether Mr. Johansen is close enough to him to try to protect him. If he is the thief, we have to have ironclad evidence, or we must be able to catch him in the act. This will also give us the chance to be out during study hall. Just make sure you get a jump on your schoolwork, or else people may grow suspicious."

It was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and Mr. Johansen was just preparing to leave for the day, when he heard something outside with his secretary. "Excuse me, boys," she said, "but, um, the Shakespeare club is tomorrow, and being held in the theatre room. No, wait, you just can't go in there."

The doors to his office flung open, and there stood the Chess Knights. "Mr. Johansen, I'm sorry for these boys barging in like this…" but Mr. Johansen said that it was okay, and invited the boys in. They closed the doors behind them, and apologized for the sudden intrusion, but that they also felt that this matter could not admit delay. "What's wrong, boys?" he asked.

Black Knight spoke, and said, "I'm afraid it's very serious. It may well be that one of your faculty has gang involvement, possibly selling items that their drug dealers need to aid in the making of narcotics."

"That would explain the gang activity, but…" Mr. Johansen trailed off for a moment, and then said, "…, but on my campus?"

"Crime can hit anywhere," assured White Knight, "Just because we are a provincial town does not make us immune. However, be assured, you are being watched over."

"What do you boys want to do?" he asked.

"We would like to stake out the science hall for a few days, and see if we cannot catch him or her in the act," said Black Knight.

"Do you have an idea who this may be?" asked Mr. Johansen, having his own suspicions.

"We do," said White Knight, "We just need to confirm this, and try to bring him in. All we need from you is to let the campus security know that we will be out those nights, so as not to cause an incident."

"That I can do," said Mr. Johansen, and with that, they took their leave.

The first night left no results, and they were glad. Their legs, though becoming stronger, were still a bit sore, and they were not sure if they would be able to give proper pursuit if it came to it. However, this night, they were almost fully recovered, and ready for action. It was now an hour after sunset, and an hour after Van Hellmann left. The days were starting to get more crisp and colder in the night. The boys, however, noticed none of this, as the undergarments that they had been provided for them always had the conditions comfortable. They also found out that the gloves for the uniforms also had that lining, so now they could fight if they had to. Not ten minutes after the sun had set, they heard the footsteps of what sounded like hard shoes, and they hid in the brush. It was dark on that side of the building, so it was hard to make out just who was the man in the trench coat and fedora who approached. They watched him approach the double doors, unlock them, and begin to enter. As he entered, the boys pussyfooted it behind him, and quickly swept around the edges of the door into the darkness. The doors closed, and he locked back the dead bolt from inside. They let him get ahead, and followed the sound of the footsteps. Black Knight then gave indication to White Knight to keep following. He knew that, if this were their man, he could go ahead to the chemistry lab, and try to slip in and catch him in the act. He arrived before the stranger, and hid around the corner. As he reached the door, he caught a glimpse of his partner hiding himself, and he signaled when it was certain the stranger could not see him. They had been practicing tailing a target, and had a bit of trouble moving silently. They could not understand how they were doing this now, at first. It then dawned upon Black Knight that the _en Pointe _lessons were actually beginning to pay off. When he entered, Black Knight was thinking about taking him then. However, he then realized that there may be more to it, and then backed off. If he was getting ready to hand over the goods, they could catch these resident gang members, and kill two birds with one stone. They both approached the door, and Black Knight whispered, "Did you get a look at him?"

"No," said White Knight, "but his emotional readings are that of Van Hellmann, no question!"

"We'll tail him," said Black Knight, "and then we'll see how many fish we can catch in our nets!"

"The JLA computers will be recording all of this," said White Knight, "so we can submit some of this to the police, and put them away."

Black Knight slipped in so that he, and the phone, could both witness the theft. He went right to certain spots in the closet, took things, and closed the door, not locking it, so he could blame it on the janitor. Black Knight waited until his back was turned, slipped out, and told White Knight to meet him down at the double doors.

It was easier to leave for the Knights, because the doors closed outwardly. They moved swiftly to the bushes, and watched as he relocked the door and reset the alarm. They waited until he was about fifty yards away, and then began to give chase. They followed him a good way from the gate, and Black Knight opened his phone and contacted Constable Brock, (who the JLA had added to the phone's database.) He kept the signal open so that they could trace it in case something happened. They caught up to him, and trailed him through the underbrush. Finally, four individuals in gang style clothing came out of the brush. "Ah, good, you are here," said Van Hellmann.

"You got the stuff," one of them said.

"Yes," he answered, "But you are getting sloppy: I should charge you double for this!"

"Hey, man: don't play games with us!" another said defiantly.

"I had some people asking too many questions after your friends little stunt a few days ago!" he answered, "You could have risked it all!"

"Hey, who needs who here?" the one snapped, as if he were the one in charge, "You're the one that said this job don't pay you nothing. I ain't the one that made those debts!"

"Just watch yourselves," he answered.

Two of them were standing in front, while two were a touch behind, watching out for things. The Knights watched, waiting for the right moment. As soon as the principles in the transaction had looked down to do their business, the two jumped the rearmost of the four. They quickly pommel struck them, covered their mouths, and yanked them into the underbrush. They tied their hands with their own shoelaces, and gagged them with their own do-rags. Van Hellmann looked up just in time to see that the rearguard was nowhere to be seen. "Where are your friends?" asked Van Hellmann. The other two did not waste words as they already had their pistols out. "Joey, T-Lo: where'd you go?" the leader shouted. The Knights caught sight of each other, and both nodded. As soon as the gunmen's gazes went straight ahead, the Knights leapt out, each bringing his sword down on the wrists of the hands holding the guns. Loengrin and the Swan Sword both struck true, and cleanly removed the hands of both men. They both screamed in surprise and pain, but not for long. Both the Knights brought a spinning kick on each man, knocking them both clean out. Black Knight said, "Take care of them," to White Knight as he turned to deal with Van Hellmann. White Knight healed men's hand, but could not reconnect their hands—something a touch out of his reach. Therefore, their handicap would forever be a reminder to them that crime does not pay. He then began to slip behind Van Hellmann. Black Knight was kneeling before Van Hellmann, sword aimed at his opponent. "Surrender now," said Black Knight, but all he did was laugh. He then produced a high caliber pistol and aimed it at him. "Oh, and tell your friend behind me to stand down," he said, "don't think I am so foolish like these riff-raff to not know how you would act."

White Knight could not understand how he had been caught, but he had to sit still, or his brother was guaranteed dead. "All too easy," said Van Hellmann, "Two things I leave you with before you die: never bring a knife to a gunfight, and two knights can never checkmate a king."

He began to raise his pistol, when a shot rang out from behind. Black Knight hit the deck just he saw Van Hellmann's head jerk back. He staggered back, able to get nothing out of his mouth except, "gak, gak, ach!" and fell to the ground. Black Knight turned around to see Constable Brock and a few from the precinct with him, as he was holstering his pistol. "No," said Brock, "but two knights and rook can win anytime!"

The next day, the news hit the campus like a ton of bricks. They could not believe that something like that could have happened at Kinkan. The headmaster called off classes for the day, and called a special assembly in the theater for an open forum to discuss the matter, and let people vent their emotions over what had happened. That way, they could gain closure, shake off the shock, and get on with business. However, not five minutes into the session, Ahiru slipped out, seemingly to use the facilities. Instead, she crept off somewhere to transform. She knew that counseling was one of Tutu's strong suits, and decided to help her peers deal with this tragedy. The rest of the six were shocked when they saw Princess Tutu emerge on stage, much to the surprise of Mr. Johansen, and everyone in the room. "May I please say something?" she asked gently.

He stepped aside without a word, and gave the floor to her. She had set up some music in the system before she emerged, and began to dance and speak in her special way. Since she knew she could not link up with everyone in the room at once, she decided to try to simulate the peace that the music and dancing in her links gave to them listening. That way, they could better hear and understand what she had to say. As she danced, she said, "My friends, I know you are greatly saddened by what happened, and I know it is sad that someone you trusted in the faculty essentially betrayed your trust by his actions. I know that must grieve you, and anger you just as much. Yet, the worst thing we can do is become overcome with grief, and lose sight of what has happened. It may cause us never to trust anyone again, and if that is the case, this school could die. Teachers could not trust students, and vice versa, Students would not trust peers, staff with faculty, and so forth. We cannot function like this. Yet, remember, even though someone here betrayed you, there were others around the school and town that cared enough to do something about it. This means that there are those that you can trust, and you can know that they, and I, shall watch over you. If something like this ever happens again, know that justice will be swift, and that we will do all we can to protect you. I love you all, and I want to support all of you."

With that, she posed in the position that means "love," (feet in the fifth position, hands curled up towards the heart on the chest, right hand pinched shut, the left cupped open and the back to the back of the right, both pointing up,) and then she extended her right hand to the audience. She returned her hand to that position, curtsied, and left the stage. After this, some were crying, and others were lost in thought. Mr. Johansen then said, "Then what I think we need to do next is meet up in our various departments, and use the arts we know to express how we are feeling through our forms. Sometimes it is the best way to vent how we are feeling. Tutu, wherever you are, I hope you can hear this, but, thank you for helping to ease our pain. We owe you and your friends a debt of thanks."

She heard every word as she had returned to the auditorium as Ahiru, and then immediately headed for the ballet room. The other five could not believe how Ahiru had gained such courage to act like this, but then they remembered that Tutu could provide with her what she lacked. They also knew that there would come a time where there would be little difference between her and Tutu. It began to dawn on them that, when she matured, she just might be able to take the lead on the team, for Tutu certainly had a good head on her shoulders. In the meantime, there would be this day of mourning, but Tutu gave them the courage to face the next day, knowing that there were six guardian angels looking over them.


	13. Chapter 13

**XIII**

It was now a week from Thanksgiving and the boys were actually becoming quite good in the toe shoes: so much so, that they made it look easier than it was, much to the jealousy and chagrin of the girls. They even joked about continuing to dance like this, but the girls, who had been so eager to help them into the shoes to start with, (thinking to tease the two, and exact a touch of revenge,) were now wishing they never had received them! However, they boys had a more practical reason: it actually made them lighter of foot, as they had found out with Van Hellmann. In addition, the six had also decided to add a dance sequence to Enya's Gaelic rendition of "Silent Night." They were really getting the two sequences down well, and felt that it had to be the Christmas Spirit that was pushing them along. Mr. Katt now knew more than ever that these kids were destined for fame together, and he was going to do all that he could to insure that this happened without the interference of greedy leeches that would not have their best interest at heart. In addition, because of their work together, the ones he knew were at the intermediate level were going to gain so much hands-on experience that they would more than likely be in the advanced class by the next semester. If that happened, then there was the special class that they could advance to if they had learned all that they needed to at that level. In that class, to which Rue and five other girls belonged, they would gain college level experience that would cause the act to soar to unknown heights. It would be an interesting year that next year. Of course, they had to get past the team becoming a tight group first, so it would have to be one step at a time. However, before they could enjoy holiday cheer, they would have a couple of obstacles to clear first.

Edel was gaining a few human helps, however, because of the scar; it was hard to be attractive to seduce enough to be the generals she needed once her army had been formed. She also had not fully tested or researched the strength of the Marvels yet, so this was next on the agenda. She managed to research some library archives in Fawcett City to find out whom the toughest villain Captain Marvel had faced. Since Black Adam had made his turn, she had to seek elsewhere. If only he had not, she could have seduced him, and offered him great things the kingdom that the Raven would have established once he got the heart he desired. She would have been unstoppable. However, she now could only test the Marvels' mettle, and once she had seen them at their best, she could then formulate a plan to stop them, and get her revenge. One thing she knew, Captain Marvel would do all he could to protect Princess Tutu, and would be her biggest obstacle. In addition, she hoped that she could get what she sought soon before Tutu and Claire fully realized just how powerful they were. Soon, she came across a picture of what appeared to be an oversized three-inch long silkworm in a jar. He had on glasses, and had around a neck what looked like a small speaker. She saw the headline, "Big Red Wrangles Wiry Worm to Justice."

She read in the article about how this little worm was named Mr. Mind, and could control the minds of anything that got in his vicinity. The article went on to tell how it was almost impossible to stop him, because he could use anyone or anything to execute his deeds against his victim's will, causing no end of difficulty. Captain Marvel could not lash out against the actor, because that person was not acting in his right mind. Because of his size, this added to the difficulty. Edel was amazed that something so small could cause Marvel so much difficulty. She found another article that showed the results of his trial, considering that he was sentient enough to stand for it, and said he was to be held for life in a special facility in the prison, specially designed so that he could not control anyone, and exact his escape. Before he was put away, he swore revenge on Marvel for this, and for what he had done to his race. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, "He'll be a great test. If Marvel can stop him, I will know just how tough he is, and what I need to do; and if not, so much the better!"

Mr. Mind's cell—if you could call it that—was proportional for his size. It was no different in its interior, except it had a separate recreational area, considering that it was too dangerous to allow him out. The cell was made of a special glass designed to block his psionic ability, and his food was distributed through a pneumatic system that would allow in this nourishment, but not allow him out. If he even got within five feet of any creature, he could take that mind over, and do whatever it took to get out: essentially, a solitary confinement that was necessary to prevent his escape and contact with anyone or anything could affect an escape for him. Getting him out was also going to be a challenge for Edel, and she figured that the only way out would be through the pneumatic system. The container normally came up, opened for him to retrieve whatever he needed, then immediately closed as soon as he had retrieved it. It then was quickly retracted, and the hole closed up faster than he could react to it. What needed to happen was that the door had to remain open long enough for him to get in. The first thing she had to do was get in, and she was fortunate to find a guard that looked a lot like her. She subdued her, took her uniform, and slipped in. She then made her way to the kitchen, and found the pneumatic tube system that led to Mr. Mind. She wrote a short note, and quickly reprogrammed the system to allow the door to be open long enough for him to read the note, get in, and come down the tube. She slipped the note underneath his meal, and sent it along. When it emerged, Mr. Mind then wrangled it out, and saw the note flip out. He quickly opened it, and it read, "If you want to get out of here, get in the shuttle now: a friend."

He did not understand, and was not sure if it was wise to trust something as mysterious as this. However, he saw that the shuttle door was still open, and realized that this could be a chance. If it were a trap, whoever was on the other side was going to be in for a big surprise. He jumped in moments before the door closed, and it took him down. When it arrived, Edel scooped it up, and put it away before he could open the door, or anyone would be the wiser. She then started to attempt to exit the building, but the actual guard arrived at the front gate, after regaining consciousness, and reported what had happened. At about the same time, the cameras showed his cell empty, and the alarms immediately sounded. Edel had to act fast, because the prison would go on an immediate lockdown before she could get out. She headed for a service exit in the kitchen that led to the outside where supplies would come in. She slipped out just before the door closed, but that only got her outside. Now she would have to get off the grounds. She saw the big service doors for the supply trucks closing fast, so she threw a handful of seeds near the door on some grass. Since it was morning, the grass was still moist, and the seeds were designed for quick growth by her own hand. They immediately grew, and entangled the door before it could shut. She quickly exited, but not before a few shots hit the ground, on which she had stood. However, a police car came up, responding to the emergency and stopped right in front of her. The two officers quickly jumped out in an effort to subdue her, but she reached into her sack, pulled out a handful of powder, and blew it onto the men. They passed out on the spot. She grabbed one of their hats before leaping into the car, and sped away before the prison guards got there. It was then she saw the jacket, and managed to slip it on as she drove. She had the sirens blaring, swiftly making her way out of Fawcett City. She had to be fast, because there was only so much time before those cops came to, and told what number squad car had been stolen. If she could get out of town, it would keep from alerting Black Adam, and that would put a fast end to her trip if he showed up, no question. She took a side road, and accelerated her speed out of town. By the time they had set up the roadblocks, and Black Adam was beginning to scour the city for the missing squad car, she was already three miles down the road. She then took some of the back roads that she knew the state troopers did not patrol very often, and were well veiled by trees, which would make it difficult for aircraft to track the car. Once she considered it safe, she pulled out the shuttle, and opened the lid. Mr. Mind took a big gasp of air, as it was fast running out on him. As he was regaining his senses, Edel immediately said, "Do not worry, Mr. Mind, you will not be hurt, but I wanted to set you free: you and I have a mutual foe."

Mr. Mind was just about to take control of her mind when she said this. The minute speaker on his neck fired up, and spoke for him, saying, "Okay, you have my attention: go on."

"I have a bit of a Marvel problem, and I thought you could help," she said.

"Oh really," he said, beginning to smile an evil grin, "I would do it even if you were not involved. However, since you went through the effort to spring me, what's in it for me?"

"Once you rid the world of Marvel, I can then do what I need to do," she said.

"And what is that," he then asked.

"I need to sacrifice a human heart to the Raven to release him," she then said.

"Like I said," he said, a bit frustrated, "What's in it for me?"

"The Raven shall plunge this world into darkness, rule it, and you could have a part in it," she said, happily.

"Hmm," he pondered, "Having a part in global conquest: it sounds like fun. Where do I fit in?"

"By the time you take out Marvel, I will have subdued any of his allies, the heart gets taken, job done," she said.

Mr. Mind knew that whoever this Raven was, he was not going to take over the world,—that was his job! However, he saw this woman as a means to an end, and he knew that she had no clue as to just how powerful he was. Thus, he figured that he would take care of Marvel, then take over this girl's mind, get her out of the way, and do what he set out to do long ago. He figured he would play along with it as long as it benefited him, and then dispose of the dead weight later. He then said, "You have a deal. However, where are we going: Fawcett is back that way?"

"Marvel has been seen around Kinkantown, (so renamed from its original name in honor of Mr. Matzuzama,) so that is a good place to start," she answered, "Besides, Black Adam is probably scouring the city right now looking for us."

"Right!" he said, "Let us not go back right now."

They got within a mile of Kinkantown, and exited the car. She then reached into her sack, opened the gas cap, poured some kind of substance in the tank, grabbed her normal clothes, and Mr. Mind, and ran into the woods as fast as she could. About one minute later, there was a loud explosion as the police car exploded. Mr. Mind began to rethink things, seeing just how resourceful she was, and figured she might come in handy after all. Maybe later on, she would make a good slave. She changed clothes, stuffed the other clothes in some rocks, set them on fire, and headed in the direction of the school. While all this was going on, some of the girls were in the dayroom, looking at some television. Ahiru, Rue, and Mary were passing by just at the moment a news bulletin came in, "We interrupt this program to bring you an emergency news bulletin: the notorious Mr. Mind was broken out of prison approximately 45 minutes ago by the aid of a mysterious blonde woman. She overpowered a guard, disguised herself, and using some unexpected tricks, managed to escape Fawcett City with the wicked worm."

The news went on, stating the appearance of Mr. Mind, and the mysterious lady that aided him, giving warnings about both fugitives, and that which they were capable. They then had a short interview with the warden of the prison, asking about how dangerous this creature was, and he said, "Do not let his size fool you: he has the ability to take over the minds of anyone within five feet of you, turning anyone or anything into an unwilling accomplice for his will. If you try to capture him, he may just take over your mind, and cause you to do harm to yourself. If you see him, do not approach—I repeat—do not approach him, but call the local police immediately. There are special means to capturing him, and even then, it won't be easy!"

It was at this point, the girls looked outside, and it seemed that there was a large influx of students making their way back on campus in a hurry, and the gates were being shut. When they stepped outside, one of the campus security said that it was best for them to stay where they were, and that they could not leave the campus until the crisis was resolved. It was at that moment that a black clad individual, dressed similarly to Captain Marvel, sans cloak, hovered before a top floor window in the boy's dorm. The three of them knew well that this was Billy's window; it seemed that this stranger was engaged in a conversation with Billy. Suddenly, the stranger pulled Billy out and flew away. This was followed by a loud thunderclap, and then this stranger returned with Captain Marvel at his side. They seemed to be discussing something, and then the stranger left. At this, he went to the girl's dorm and saw his three comrades standing in the foyer. "Ladies," he said, "you two find a place to change: I am going to need all the help that I can get. Mary, come with me."

With that, he picked her up, and they took off over the campus wall. One thunderclap later, and they returned as both Marvels. The girls then met up with the Marvels, and Captain Marvel explained. He said, "Listen, Black Adam just informed me that Mr. Mind, and the woman who sprang him are in this area. The wreck of the squad car, and the burned guard clothes that they found would lend credence to the fact that they are near, and that they won't be going far, unless they commandeer another vehicle. However, I don't think escaping is what he has in mind."

"What do you mean?" asked Tutu.

"Well, remember the story about that alien race I told you about, that bad mistake I made?" he asked.

They remembered. Then he said, "Well, he is the last of that race, and he has been itching for payback ever since."

"What do we do?" asked Claire.

"You stick close to Mary," he answered, "And Tutu, stay with me. In our current forms, our minds cannot be overtaken. However, you two are vulnerable, but you two have some needed powers. So stick close to us. If it even seems like your minds are about to be overtaken, we will get you to a safe distance. I told the guys to stay put, because there would not be much that they could do."

It was at that moment that the campus security showed up, and said, "Some of the Secret Six: thank God you are here! How can we help?"

"I'm afraid that there isn't much you can do," Captain Marvel responded, "just keep yourselves in a small area that you have the ability to watch the approach of anyone from any angle. We cannot risk any of you being taken over. He is small, so keep your eyes sharp!"

At this, they split up, and began to scour the campus.

At this time, Edel and Mr. Mind approached the school, and saw that it was locked down tight. "Why are you bringing me here?" asked Mr. Mind.

"Some of his allies reside here," she said, "Therefore, if you can endanger some lives here, you may be able to flush out Captain Marvel, and you can do as you please at that point."

Mr. Mind liked how this woman thought: cause some chaos, flush out Marvel, and then put him into a position where he had to comply, and then destroy him at that point. Although the campus was locked down, it would be no problem for someone of Mind's size to enter in unnoticed. He slipped under the gate, but then was disappointed to see the campus quite empty. They must have alerted the students by this point. However, if this were some kind of a boarding school, if he could find the dorms, he could start there. He slithered his way along until he reached the stone fenced dorms, each facing the other with a straight sidewalk from one to the other. He entered the arched gate of the girl's dorm, knowing that they would be the quickest to panic in a situation like what he was about to cause. He slid through a crack in the door, found that there was an adult in the mix, and figured that would be a good person to use. He came close, took her mind, and had her pick up the phone. She said, "Oh, really? I'll make it happen right now."

Then he had her turn to the girls, and say, "Ladies! There is an emergency: you need to evacuate now!"

It did not take long for panic to spread, and they all went out. Campus security then approached, wondering what was going on. They began to try to get the girls back into the dorm, and in doing so, did not see the girl that was making her way to the boy's dorm, where the pattern was repeated. The boys were amazed at what they were seeing, but Mytho suspected all of this. The two of them knew that they could have a potential riot on their hands, so they changed and exited the building. Mr. Johansen came out with a bullhorn, trying to get the children back inside, but confusion was beginning to take over the campus. Suddenly, Mr. Johansen locked up, and said, "Captain Marvel: can you hear me? That's right, it's Mr. Mind! Surrender now, or face total chaos!"

He zipped up to Mr. Johansen quickly, but Mr. Mind was nowhere around. At that moment, someone screamed as three girls were climbing a rickety vine ladder. Mary Marvel moved quickly as she caught the three girls when the ladder gave way to the weight. When they got to the ground, Mr. Mind moved again. This time, he gained control of two large boys, and caused them to start to fight one another. This caused some of the people around them to start to move out of the way, starting a groundswell of panic. Captain Marvel was on this one as he broke the boys apart. Mr. Mind moved elsewhere, as the two boys came to, not knowing how they had been hurt. It was an ironic situation, considering that the two were the best of friends. Suddenly, a boy in the voice school, one with a strong voice, thundered, "Observe the power of Mr. Mind, and despair! You are all doomed!"

That did it! The boys were trying to run, but bumped into one another, not knowing which way to flee. The girls screamed, and started to take off like a bunch of spooked cattle. If the six could not act fast, someone was going to be trampled to death. Quickly, Captain Marvel grabbed Mary and said, "Get to New York, and go to the Hall of Justice. I'll try to call ahead to let them know you are coming."

"Why am I going there?" she asked.

"Tell them to give you the Mr. Mind jar: they'll know what you mean. Go now: there's no time to explain!" he said.

With that, Mary took off like a shot to New York. All this time, Edel was sitting in the bough of a tree that sat above the wall, watching the chaos ensue. "Let's see you handle this, Red Cheese!" she chuckled.

Mary was in New York so fast that it seemed like no time had passed. However, because she was still trying to get the hang of her powers, she actually overshot New York by forty miles, and stopped, hovering over the Atlantic Ocean. She regained her bearings, and headed back, more controlled. She wondered at that point just how long it took Billy to get the hang of his powers. He had already taught her a lot, but she still had to learn some control. She finally reached Manhattan, and reached the international district. This was a no-fly zone, but no fighters were scrambled, considering that, this was a superhero, and they had some authority to be there due to the close proximity of the New York unit of the JLA. She passed the United Nations building, and came to the hall a few blocks later. Immediately, subduing weaponry lifted up from all areas, and an electronic voice announced, "Halt: you are now on restricted ground! Identify yourself, please!"

"Mary Marvel," she said, "Captain Marvel said he would call ahead."

A few minutes passed, and then another voice came in, "Yep just got the call. Come on in!"

She landed, and Plastic Man met her. "Hey, Cap didn't tell me he had a sister! What are you doin' this Saturday?"

"You're Plastic Man, right?" she asked.

"Sure am," he said.

"Look, rubber brain," she snapped, "This is no time for schmoozing: there are lives at stake here!"

This was happening just as Martian Manhunter approached. "All right, Plaz, dump some hormones and let the girl in, would you?"

She stepped by, but behind her back, she shaped himself so his top half was as a cat, and he swiped a couple of times as he hissed. However, Mary said, without even turning around, "Knock it off before I find out just how far your arm can stretch as I stuff it down your throat!"

He reverted to normal, and skulked off, muttering, "That time of the month?"

J'onn apologized for Plastic Man's behavior, and then asked what the problem was. She explained, and then asked for what Billy had asked for. Once he understood the danger, he handed over the jar. He then said, "Look, right now, the rest of the heroes are in the main headquarters on the moon, but I think I can help. Can I get involved?"

"Any port in the storm," she said, "I just hope that the other five can get control of things."

Meanwhile, the kids were just beginning to start a deadly panic. However, the Swan Sisters thought fast. They began to jette lightly off the shoulders of the running students, going from one end to the other. As they did, green and black vines sprang up and began to stop and restrain the students. They were not constricting, but it held them fast enough as such that they could not hurt themselves while in the panicked state. They were also lifted off the ground about 20 feet, and the sisters then said, "Calm down! You shall be safe right where you are right now. Just relax, and it will all be okay."

The campus now looked a bit like a jungle, but the students were at least safe. Now only the five were there. This made things a bit harder for Mr. Mind to cause problems. However, there were at least four other targets, and quite powerful ones with whom he could have fun. He then went over to the Chess Knights, and took control of them. They suddenly took out their swords and started dueling. "NO!" screamed Claire, as she rushed over to try to restrain the boys. Black Knight uttered, "Surrender, Captain Marvel, or else the girls are next. If they are as powerful as I think them to be, they will be lots of fun!"

However, Tutu had other ideas. She crept up behind Black Knight, upon whose shoulder Mr. Mind now sat. She concentrated, making sure that he could not detect her approaching psychically. Before he knew it, she had snatched him up, and established a mental link with Mr. Mind. In her mind, she saw Mr. Mind standing there, except that he was now her size. He smiled, and spoke with his own mouth, considering that they were speaking internally. "Impressive, young lady!" he said, smiling, "You are the first person that has ever snuck up on me like that. It was even more impressive that I didn't even detect your approach."

"You shall learn many things about me today," she said, "but things you do not want to know!"

"Nonsense," he laughed, "You also are the first person outside of Captain Marvel who ever dared touch me, much less try to establish a mental link with me. You are either quite powerful, or quite stupid: I cannot yet tell which. Yet, I shall soon know."

Inside this world, a green hand reached out for her, symbolizing his attempt to take control of her mind, but a human female hand reached out and slapped it away. Then two hands came out, and then two hands slapped in response. Before long, there were a plethora of hands reaching, and then being slapped. They both relented, knowing that this was getting nowhere. "Ah, so you're a mind controller as well, yes?" he said, "You're quite impressive. Only Captain Marvel has been able to withstand me thus far. This is going to be a fun challenge."

She then began the gesture, but because of the already established link, he said, "Don't bother: I know what that means, and what you want. I shall never open up like that, much less to someone like you!"

"What do you fear," she asked, "I only want to help you. Open your mind to me!"

"NEVER!" he thundered, and suddenly, it seemed like 100-foot tall walls rose up to either side of her. She went to the turn, took it, came to a T, chose to go right, reached a dead end, went back the other way, and she came to three straight turns. It was then she realized that she was in a maze. "That's right, little girl," she heard voice say, "Welcome to the labyrinth that is my mind!" which was followed by an evil laugh. She was not going to be outdone by him, though this was one of the toughest minds she had yet to encounter. She pirouetted twice, and what looked like a beanstalk grow from the bricks. She got to the top, and then was stunned by the sight. In every direction, as far as the eyes could see, was nothing but a maze. There was no knowing where she was on the maze, or how even to start to look for the center of the maze, where she felt he must be hiding. "My, you are resourceful," he said, as the sky filled with the crest of a green head and two antennae, and bespectacled eyes. "I know what you want, little girl," he said, "You think you want to help me? HA! You have no idea what you deal with here! Why don't you open your mind more fully to me?"

At this, another green hand extended to try to contact her, but she evaded this, and another followed. She slapped that one away, but now more was coming than she could deal with at one time. He was trying to get deeper in her mind, as to be able to control her, not the other way around. At this, she created, in her mind, her astral barque, and ducked below the deck. One of the hands started to pass, stopped as if it noticed her, and came back to grab her. Instead, she shoved off, and plowed into the mental hands like a ship on the waves. This had to stop, for there was only so long she would have the mental endurance to evade the attacks. It was then that it dawned on her that all the hands were coming from the same direction. "Got you!" she said, and plowed forward. "Do you really…" he started to say, but finished with a timid, "…think so?" as her barque speedily arrived at the center, where he was hiding.

At about this time, the other four were approaching Tutu. She was standing like a statue, as was Mr. Mind, they being locked in severe mental combat. It was then that, not only did Mary return, but also she had a guest. "Manhunter!" said Captain Marvel. "In person," he said, and then asked, "It seems quiet. Is it under control?"

"Not quite," Marvel responded, pointing to the new foliage that the Swan Sisters provided, complete with students as flowers. He then pointed to Tutu and Mr. Mind. "I don't know what's going on," stated Marvel, "but it must be some severe mental combat. That is something that is out of my realm."

They all tried to approach, but Mr. Mind had enough contact with the outside world to say, "Back off, or she dies!"

They did not know if that was an honest threat, or if he was bluffing. However, this was something that they did not want to risk. Then Captain Marvel had an idea.

Internally, Tutu had set the barque down, stepped out, and smiled her gentle smile. "You poor tormented soul," she said, "I dance to guide your heart. I only want to bring you peace. Let me help you."

Mr. Mind, who trusted no one, was not so sure he wanted some inferior creature rooting around in his head any greater than she already had. He thought for a moment, and then said, "Are you certain you really want this? There is so much more here than you realize."

At this, he suddenly seemed to take the form of a python, maintaining his own head, and wrapped her up tight before she could react. "You have no idea what runs around in my head, do you!" he thundered, "Apparently the Big Red Cheese didn't fill you in on how I got this way, what he did to my people, and what happened to my mind as a result."

Externally, her breath was now coming in short bursts, there was a look of shock on her face, and the others knew they had to act fast. Internally, Mr. Mind continued his rant, saying, "Are you really sure you want to hear the screams of the millions of my people that gave their power to me when he killed them?"

"*ack* He did not *gasp* mean it!" she said, "*Uhh* he is no murderer!"

"Ha! Even your kind has penalties for accidental death!" he snapped, "He must pay!"

"Carrying this anger around won't help you! *Gasp* you have to find *uhh* closure!" she gasped out.

"Then, maybe I should just open it all to you," he said, "AND FRY YOUR BRAIN!"

At this, he opened his mouth as if to swallow her, symbolizing his brain consuming hers. Once he had this control, he then may be able to stop Marvel. However, before that could happen, he detected another approach. He once again contacted the outside enough to see who it was that approached. It was Captain Marvel, and Mr. Mind said, "I have her in a position of compromise! Surrender or I kill her now."

Captain Marvel stopped, looked for a moment, and then had a look on his face that seemed to say that there was no other way. "All right," he said, "no more games."

He took two steps closer, and then, all of a sudden, it was not Captain Marvel, but Martian Manhunter. "What!" exclaimed Mr. Mind, and Manhunter said, sarcastically, "Boo!"

Internally, he set his antennae on her head to indeed attempt to fry her brain. However, just as he made the full link, it was broken completely, as the jar slammed shut around him. "Gotcha!" shouted Captain Marvel, and he quickly got him away from the princess. However, in that brief moment of deep contact, the sound of the clinking shut of the jar sounded like a million guns going off all at once inside the mind of Tutu. It manifested itself as blood coming out of her ears and nose, as if she had actually heard the horrible sound. "Ah," was all she could utter at that second, because it hurt too much even to scream. She dropped to her knees in shock, sputtering out, "It…hurt! Can't…hear…"

Edel saw this, and was ecstatic. Her eardrums were shattered, and she would be deaf for the rest of her life, and become ineffective, as far as she was concerned. She got what she came for, and then some. She knew better what she was facing, and took her leave. Mr. Mind was livid. He had the chance to stop Marvel, and now things would be worse for him in that accursed prison. Now this Edel was on his hit list. They would both pay dearly.

No one knew what to do, except for Mytho. He walked up and put his hands on her ears. Within about a minute's time, the bleeding had stopped, and her hearing was back to normal. However, her head still hurt very badly, and she needed to get some rest. Marvel said, "I am so sorry. I didn't know how strong the link was."

"It's okay," she said through the tears, "If you had not, I do not know what he would have done with me. Please, take him back, so he can think hard about the chance he had to be at peace that he passed up."

Despite it all, she still only had his good on her heart, even after what had happened. Marvel leaned over and whispered, "I love you."

"And I you," she responded, and gave him a quick peck before he took off. He thanked Manhunter for his help, and he was on his way. She waived her hand, and all the plants slowly receded into the ground. Claire took the cue, and did the same. Claire then knelt by her, and said, "You have to get rest, but you must stay Tutu, because, if you show the same pain as Ahiru, things could get worse."

Tutu nodded, and then realized that now; two other people would have to know her secret. She told Claire and Mary to get the other two of the terrible trio, and have them help bring her to their room. This was done swiftly, and Mai and Yuma were trying to figure out how to break it to Ahiru that she would have to give up her bed for the night. However, they were in for the surprise, when, as they entered the room, Ahiru was nowhere to be found. She was not in the bathroom, because the door was open. Claire then went to get one of her nightgowns for Tutu as they sat her down. "I am about to risk much by what you are about to see, for I can see no other way for you to understand your missing roommate than this," she uttered weakly. With that, she began to remove the mask, feather ring, and loose the bun. She began to remove the ballet outfit, and Mary began to draw a bath. Claire came back as Rue, because she did not need to reveal who she was in this. The girls guided her to the bath, filled with the leftover salts from the dance time, hoping the scent would be pleasing and good for her. They did not have to worry, for, in the light, they began to recognize her for who she really was. "Ahiru?" they said, and she answered, "Yes, it's me…sort of."

"Why did you reveal this to us?" Yuma asked, as they eased her into the bath.

"Could not leave," she answered, "Too…many people…see me leave…come back as Ahiru…same problem…you ask questions…everyone would ask…fewest questions this way."

Now they understood why she often got secretive on them from time to time. They also understood the odd behavior now, considering that she must have been trying to make a disconnect between herself and her alter ego. They now looked on her with a sense of awe, knowing their friend was a superhero, and had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Tutu was beginning to feel better, but needed rest. She explained that she would have to stay Tutu for the night as she got into the sleeping gown, and then leave the next day as Tutu, and come right back in as Ahiru, to make sure that no one would suspect anything. After they laid her down, they asked Rue, "Did you know about this?"

"She told me," she said, "because she knew that if anything had ever happened to her, someone would have to explain things, and she felt she could trust me."

"Why not us?" asked Yuma.

"Yeah, why not us, blabbermouth!" Mai said to Yuma, sarcastically, "You could not keep a secret to save your life!"

"Well, now you must," Said Rue, "because now the life of your best friend may lie in the balance."

They looked over at the bed, seeing that Tutu was beginning to slip out of consciousness. They waked over; both kissed her cheek, caressed her hair, said that they loved her, and hoped that she would sleep well. On that note, Rue and Mary took their leave. It seemed that the only thing wrong with Tutu was a mild concussion, and she just needed rest. Yes, it had been an interesting day.


	14. Chapter 14

**XIV**

It was close to Thanksgiving, and the six were invited to dinner at Uncle Dudley's place, as well as Mai, Yuma, Nana, Poe, and even Mr. Katt. Of course, both were prepared for the fact that each would be there, and Mr. Katt promised to control himself. Poe, on the other hand was terrified, but was eventually reassured that all would be well. They would have a great time of fellowship, a dinner, and then a great surprise for later that evening. Billy asked that they bring their instruments as well. On Thanksgiving Day, everyone arrived, and there was a bit of tension in the air. However, Poe busied himself with the details of dinner, and took his mind of the cat. Meanwhile, everyone else was conversing, but Ahiru felt a bit put off by her friends, considering that they no longer approached her as a peer, but treated her like a superior. She finally took them aside, and said, "Would you three relax? It's me! You don't have to stand on ceremony for me; we can be buds, like before."

Ahiru sneered, and then looked at Mai, and said, "Tomboy!"

"Quaky duck," she said in response.

"Blabbermouth," Mai said to Yuma.

"Crazy redhead," Nana said, and then they all began to giggle.

A bit later, Mary took Mai aside, and said, "Hey, you know, I've been noticing you, and it seems there is an image you want to shed?"

Mai looked down, and said, "Yes, I wish I could."

"I tell you what: this weekend, we are going on the town, and we are going to get you a makeover, kid," said Mary smiling, "and I am going to teach you the finer arts of femininity. You won't recognize yourself!"

Mai wanted to say no, but she had to admit that it was time to shed the cocoon in which she hid. It was time to blossom. Yet she said, "Do you think there's any hope for me?"

"Hey, kid," she responded, "There is no sin in being a late bloomer. It's just time to get those petals out."

When they all came back together, Mr. Katt discussed the upcoming variety show, and began, once again, to emphasize the potential that they had together. He then gave them the warnings of how the business worked today, and warned them of the hazards they faced with greedy producers. They had to stand firm no matter what, or they would be broken up, absorbed by the industry, and leached dry. At this, Billy asked how their instruments were coming, and they said that it was rough, but they were beginning to get the hang of it. Then he said that they should mess around a bit, after the surprise. They all asked what the surprise was, and Billy announced that they all had box seat tickets for that night's big game between the Fawcett Thunderbolts and the Metropolis Metros. No one seemed enthused. The girls were not fond of the game, except for maybe Mai, Mr. Katt was not much for emotional displays, except when dealing in class, Poe had no clue what Billy was talking about, and the boys were not very fond of a game that they figured was too plodding and slow as compared to soccer. Billy said, "Nobody cheer at once."

"It's all right, Billy," said Mary, "We'll still go. We don't want to see those tickets go to waste, do we?"

She then looked at the others knowingly, and they all groaned, and conceded. Billy then said, "Hey, wait, I know a way to help you enjoy it, and I'll tell you when we get there."

There was a stretch leading up to dinner, and Fakir mentioned that, if Billy liked a rough and tumble game, he should check out Rugby. They then went on line, as the girls started to gather in a group, (not really as fond of such things,) and looked for Rugby. One of the things that they found dealt with hard tackles in that game, and they were all cringing at some of the vicious tackles. However, Billy found a film that put scenes of American football with clips from the two codes of Rugby. Now it was Fakir's turn to be amazed at the similarities between the games, and then he began to wonder if that evening's trip would not be a waste after all. He still did not catch onto the reasons why the American game "started and stopped" all the time, until Billy explained a little of the history, and then said that the best way to look at it was full contact chess. That clicked with them. Then, Billy noticed on the Ruby listing something that said "haka." "What's this?" asked Billy.

"That is a ritual dance that the Maori tribes of New Zealand do before going to war, and it is something that their national Rugby team do before they play," answered Mytho.

The word "dance" caught the attention of everyone in the room, and they all came over. Mr. Katt said that he was familiar with this, and he said for Billy to play it. Seeing it on screen did not seem to be as intimidating as what he figured it must be live, especially if you are the opposing team. Then, there was a different haka that Mr. Katt said they saved for important games. That one seemed to move more, and had more coordination. Mr. Katt then explained that all the hand gestures and movement meant things just as important as the words. The words were saying that this was going to be their turf, and they were going to defend it against all comers. He then explained some of the hand gestures. For example, there was a point where the players drew their closed fists across their chests, with their thumbs up. This meant that they were drawing the breath of life into themselves for the task ahead. Even the word "haka" lent to this. "Ha" meant, "breath" and "ka" meant "to ignite:" thus, "to ignite the breath." Ahiru then said, "Then, it almost seems like they are doing a bit of ballet right before they play."

"In a sense, they are," said Mr. Katt, "at least, in their own culture. Dance is always something that tries to tell a story without words. Ballet is just one form that developed as it did for its own reasons, but really, any dance designed to tell stories and convey messages are just a derivative of that."

Dinner was served, and they all generally conversed. Poe and Mr. Katt were actually becoming a bit chattier, as Mr. Katt was trying to reach out to Poe, and Poe knew that predators like him were not so eager to kill you on a full stomach. After this, there was some time before they left for the game, and so they brought out their instruments, and started to experiment some more. They were still not quite sure of their instruments, but it had shown that they were practicing. Billy figured that they would have it down before the show. In addition, Billy was thinking about an encore, just in case, so they were not caught off guard again. Billy then suggested the song "Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent." They could actually do some dancing as they sung. "But Billy, how are we going to do that?" asked Ahiru.

"Well, I think we are fit enough to do this, and today's technology made it easy. These days, there are mics that are like those Bluetooth phones. They are light, and pick up well. As long as we are not trying to do any heavy moves that would shake our voices at the points we need to sing, we can do this, and not run out of breath. Do you want to try it?"

Everyone agreed that this would be good, and Mr. Katt agreed to help with the choreography.

Then it was time for the game. When they got there, the girls did not seem too happy. It was then that Billy enlightened them. He said, "Okay, this game is sometimes called beefcake ballet."

They all laughed, and looked at him funny. He then said, "The reason for that is all the coordination that goes into the game, and how the players are so agile and light on their feet, and how everything seems to be in sync when executing plays. In fact, did you know that some of these men actually take ballet in order to play better?"

They all turned their heads in surprise, except for Uncle Dudley, Mr. Katt, and Poe, (who could have cared less.) "That's right: imagine some of these guys in tights, dancing a _manage_ around the room, or doing pirouettes. They do this, because it gives them flexibility and agility in a way they never had it. They do whatever it takes to get that edge, and often end up enjoying ballet outright. You've heard of the Nutcracker Suite, well get ready for the Helmetcraker."

With that knowledge, they began to watch the players to see if any of this would come out. They actually began to hear the Nutcracker Suite in their minds as the game progressed, as if they were doing a ballet instead of playing football. They began to be mesmerized by the precision of the teams as they ran their play, especially on the special team plays. They were amazed that such large men were able to shift and move lightly on their feet as if they were walking on air. By the middle of the second quarter, the boys were into the game, trying to predict what things the teams should be trying next, commenting on the athletic abilities of certain ones in making their predictions. By the middle of the third quarter, the girls were into it, now seeing that the game was more than just a bunch of brutes trying to kill each other. They were talking to each other, trying to guess which ones looked like they had some ballet experience. It came down to the last play, and a field goal tied the game for the Thunderbolts, sending it into sudden death. Since this game had a playoff spot riding on the results of the game, they were acting as if this was the championship game. The two teams were about to make the coin toss for the sudden death, when Mytho stiffened, and looked back as he watched a man rise up from his seat and start to walk for the tunnel. His empathy detected an extreme rush in his heartbeat, and anxiousness to his person, and it was not good. He quickly nudged Fakir, and pointed him out. Fakir could not help but be curious why someone would walk away from an extra time session that was the equivalent of a golden goal situation in a soccer match. They quickly got the attention of the other four, and they indicated that they needed to meet by the concessions.

When they were a safe distance away, Mytho and Fakir began to mention their suspicions. As this was happening, Mytho noticed another man with the same emotion set take a position at one of the tunnels, and he looked down the exit tunnel as another was taking position. He pointed this out to Fakir, who knew what he was seeing. He had seen terrorist attacks in Europe before, and these were the kinds of things that would happen if they wanted to take a place hostage. If this were so, then this was much bigger than what he had ever seen. They told everyone to take certain positions, and be ready for action. The Batsons went down the ways a bit, and decided to make the change when something happened that would cover the sound of the thunderbolts. Fakir took a position around the corner of an opening that led to the stands, near one of these men, as did Mytho. Claire waited at the top of the exit tunnel in the shadows awaiting a move in action that would cover her movements. Tutu was the bait, to try to flush them out into a trap to the others. If they were going to hold these people hostage, it was going to be a very bad day for them. Suddenly, over the PA system, a man with a foreign accent came on and announced that the entire stadium was wired to explode, and if their demands were not met, all would die. No one was to attempt to leave or resist, or else that one would be shot. One fan tried to be a hero and tried to take the weapon from the man standing guard on the opening that led out of the stands. However, he was quickly knocked down, and then killed. The gunshots were just the kind of thing that the Batsons were waiting for, and called out the wizard's name. Of course, everyone was on their face, all the terrorists at the openings around the stadium, shouting at all the people to stay in their seats, roughing up one or two to get the point across. The death built rage up in the team, and gave them more incentive now to act then ever before. It was at this point that Princess Tutu stepped out and greeted the man at the opening. He wheeled around, and pointed the gun at her as he went to fetch her and drag her back to the stands. It was his last action. Suddenly, a sword found its way through his heart, and he fell to the ground with a whimper. The one at the bottom of the exit tunnel saw this and leveled his gun at Fakir, which was all the Claire needed. She transported right behind this man, and whipped him hard into the wall. She then bound him with his own shoelaces. The one near Mytho entered the tunnel to aid his friends when he found a pommel introducing itself to the back of his head, knocking him unconscious. Another from another direction came ready to fire, and did so—right into the chest of Captain Marvel. Mary Marvel came from behind, and threw him out the opening. Everyone was wondering what the commotion was in the tunnel, and they got their answer as one of the terrorists came flying over the crowd, screaming all the way, landing hard on the field. If he were not dead, he was probably wishing that he were. At that, the crowd cheered, knowing that it just had to be Captain Marvel. The man in the box began to scream for silence before he set off the bombs. It was at this precise moment that the Secret Six were interrogating the one that Claire had captured. Mary and Captain Marvel took positions on either end of the tunnel, as Claire opened a fan, and placed it at his throat. She commanded very concisely, "Now, you are going to tell us exactly how many of you are here, and where you are."

"I will never talk I…" but that was all he got out as she took the fan and easily cut a lock of hair off his head like a hot knife through butter. "This is not paper: I can take off your head with this. NOW TALK!" she said, as she pulled up his head and now pressed it on this throat. She then said, "All it will take is another fraction of a Newton of force, so you'd better start talking!"

"There are only so many at the tunnels, you have already dispatched three of them," he then said rather rapidly, "and all the exits are covered."

Black Knight then pointed his sword to his chest, and said, "Where are the bombs?"

"I don't know," he responded.

White Knight cocked his head, and said, "He is lying."

"We can't kill him yet," said Black Knight, "We need this information."

Claire sighed, and said, "Tutu: he's yours!"

Oddly enough, she approached with her usual gentle demeanor in cases like a mind contact. However, after all he had seen, he was not sure what was going to happen. Claire held his hand down, as Tutu gently reached for it. Stark terror was all that could be seen on his face…

After stripping him, and duct taping him to the wall as he slept peacefully and soundly, Captain Marvel was already after the bombs, which had been strapped to each load bearing structure in the stadium. He had to act fast. They also could not believe how this man soiled his underwear right before Tutu made contact. "He must have been terrified, the poor dear," said Claire sarcastically. However, Mary, (whose hearing, though not super, was still better than the average person's was,) heard the approach of two men. She immediately sprang into action, and said to the others, "See to the exits: I have these two!"

She flew to the right as gunfire and ricocheting bullets were heard. The others saw one of the terrorists follow right behind her, telling her to stop as he went by, and a second later, he, and the other terrorist, went flying by. Mary was in hot pursuit. Black Knight said to the Swans, "We can handle the exits: go after the clown or clowns in the booth."

Quite quietly and systematically, the Knights took exit after exit. They did not want to gain the attention of all the guards at once, lest they invite a fight greater than they wanted to face at that moment. Mary was scouring the lower part of the stadium, looking for more guards, but could find none. Meanwhile, the Swans were making their way up to the booth. Tutu rounded the corner, and ran smack into a guard. He was about to scream out, but she got her hands to his lips, linked, and he locked up, as she said, "Shh: there's no talking in ballet."

She broke contact and slipped by. He was still feeling a bit dreamy when he wheeled around…right into Claire's left foot! They reached the door, and heard muttering in a foreign language. The voice inside began to grow more frantic with each passing second. If they could have understood, what they would have heard was the leader trying to make contact with his henchmen, and not succeeding. They also discerned by the voices that there were three terrorists in the booth. Claire looked at Tutu, and said, "Let's end this!"

Both with fans out, Claire kicked in the door. Nimbly and deftly, Tutu disarmed both guards easily as Claire followed up with swift kicks, knocking out the men soundly. Both took a _pose_, fans extended, in front of the leader, as Tutu uttered, "Stop this malevolence, now!"

"WHAT!" was all he could exclaim. He finally found his voice, and said, "Fools! I hold the final ace!"

With that, he reached over and pressed a button as he cackled insanely. Nothing! He could not understand what had happened, when about thirty seconds later, a notable "boom" was heard, but it sounded distant. In a panic, he reached for his pistol. Apparently, he had forgotten how quickly his guards had been disarmed. He only got his hand as far as his chest when the Swans were upon him. Each had a fan to his throat, as the each fanned him with the other, and smiled sweetly as their faces sat but inches from his own. "Naughty, naughty," said Tutu, "You're not playing nice."

He began to laugh, and said, "Ha, I never play nice, and those were not the only bombs. He then moved his hand to go for a switch in his jacket that would set off the explosives strapped to himself. However, as all this was happening, no one noticed the image of Black Adam coming from behind, outside the stadium side of the booth. He slid the glass aside, grabbed him, and said, "Then it's about time someone taught you how!"

He grabbed him by the collar and flung him high into the air. He then exploded high in the air like a poor pyrotechnic. The girls were startled at the sight, but he calmed them, and said, "Nice job in distracting him. I never could have snuck up on them without your help."

"You look like Captain Marvel…," said Tutu, but he raised his hand, and said, "I am Black Adam. Let us just say that I am the original copy. If it were not for Marvel, I would have gone insane with the old Adam's evil. By the way, I love the style of you two—hey, even the whole team! I loved how you duct taped that goon to the wall, by the way. The feds were extracting him just as Captain Marvel and I disposed of the bombs. I saw him going into the underbelly of the stadium, and when I saw what he was doing, I quickly lent a hand. We had those satchel charges about ten thousand feet into the air when they went off. I am just glad we weren't holding them when they went off. It could have drilled us into the ground. Anyway, extracting that goon looked quite painful. However, I have to admire even more the duct tape underwear. That would be fun to watch as they got that off him!"

Tutu blushed, and said, "That was Claire's idea."

At that point, the Knights arrived, and said that they were able to take more of them alive. Mary said that the others had been subdued as she arrived behind Adam. The crowd was beginning to become restless, so Tutu picked up the PA mic, and said, "This is Princess Tutu of the Secret Six. Fear not, dear friends, for the evil doers are all subdued, and all is well."

At this, the crowd thundered. Down where the others were sitting, only Mr. Katt seemed concerned about what had happened to the others. Only Poe and Dudley knew what had happened, while the three girls figured that Ahiru/Tutu got the others to safety, and then proceeded to act. Everyone was also reassured as they saw the Marvels and Adam fly over the stadium as if they were jets. Everyone roared their approval, and Tutu came up again and said, "And now, let the game resume: is there not an overtime to play?"

The commissioner was looking to cancel the game at that point, and call it a draw, but the people would not relent. They players and officials regained some courage from this, and decided to take the field. By this point, Tutu came down with the others, still as heroes, in order to assure that everyone was safe. They said that they, (in reality, their alter egos,) would be along, as they had to give statements to the feds as to what they saw. All this was happening as the Thunderbolts dazzled the crowd with a double reverse pass, which was caught close to the line. The receiver then leaned with all his might and reached the ball over the goal line just before the knee came down: touchdown. Tutu was amazed at the precision of the play, and noted how dramatic the finish was. It certainly seemed to come right out of the script of a ballet. The crowd roared, and Tutu giggled, "Now that's beefcake ballet!" The cheerleaders then signaled down the six, and the players lifted them up on their shoulders, taking them out to the center of the field, as the announcer thundered, "And here are today's MVPs: the Secret Six!"

The cheer was deafening. Even though the Metros had a tough loss, due to the atmosphere of celebration, they really did not seem to care!


	15. Chapter 15

**XV**

The time was closing in on the show, and although they were getting things down, Billy seemed to become more irritable than what would be expected for a show. The only thing that they could discern was the pressure that he must have been feeling in rehearsing for a ballet, a play, helping to put together some numbers for the variety show, and normal class work. Added to this was the pressure to do well, as the week of performances that happened right before Christmas break acted as an ersatz homecoming for the school. The reason for the pressure was the fact that some of the alumni had indeed made it in the business as big names, and they had connections. If they could impress them, they had an opportunity to be something big, even before they graduated. Although Billy was technically not the leader of the Secret Six, (a role that was slowly being taken over by Ahiru when she was in the form of Tutu,) he still felt himself responsible for making sure the act side of things went well, for all this had been his idea, and he had, in a sense, roped everyone into this act. This caused him to snap at his own friends when they were not as precise as they could have been. In this frame of mind, he was becoming an over-perfectionist. Even Mr. Katt had to pull him aside a time or two and calm him down. He even told Billy once, in a moment of frustration, that if he had been a girl, he would have had him married to him immediately. He was even getting snappy with Ahiru, and she did not like this one bit! He tried to say that he was sorry right away, but it did not seem to halt his rants. This did not help her, as she was already feeling enough pressure from having the lead in the show, (and Mr. Katt threatening marriage if she messed up their _pas de deux_,) and having been selected to be the soloist on "The Gift." Something had to be done.

Ahiru had been spending some time learning Beatles songs in order to impress Billy, and now she felt that they needed to do a song for Billy that she knew would get his attention. Then they had to get him to take a break before he burned himself out. The others helped her in learning the song, and were prepared to act. About two days before Christmas exams, Billy was up in his room, going over and over his studies, his head moving like a bobble head doll. It was starting to get to him, and he slammed down his books in frustration, as if he was about to cry. He was so frustrated, that he did not even hear the approach of his roommates from behind. One blindfolded him, and another gagged him before he could say the name. He started to fight, but Mytho said, "Relax: you are being taken hostage into a place where you will be forced to enjoy yourself and veg out. You will be returned unharmed: fear not."

One had him under the shoulders, and the other had his legs as they carried him down to the dayroom. They plopped him down on a comfortable chair, and took off the gag and blindfold. When he regained the focus on his eyes, he saw that the rest of the six had come over, bought a few pizzas and sodas, and put a sign that read, "The De-burdening of Billy Day."

He laughed a bit at this, and was about to get up, and say, "Guys, I really don't have time for this," but the other five had their instruments out, and began to play. Ahiru began to sing the song entitled "I'm Looking Through You." The opening line of the song dealt with someone telling another that they had had a solid love, but now the other had changed somehow, as if she were not even there—invisible. What he thought he knew was not what he saw now. Suddenly, this was not so funny anymore. Billy knew the song well, and knew that it was a bit of a stinging song for which it was meant. Since it was Ahiru singing the lead vocals on this, (wearing the same outfit she had worn at the first dance, just to get her point across,) this had an extra large slap, especially when she got to the lyrics that say that one needs to be careful, knowing that love can be quite ephemeral if not treated right. He now fell silent and hung his head as Ahiru hit the part that gave the sense of the singer saying that the person he thought was above him now was quite below him, and really had no real place in his life anymore. By the time they finished the song, Billy was deathly quiet, and wanted to get ill. He began to tear up, but tried to suck it up, and was not doing very well. "Have I been that much of a dirt bag?" he muttered. The others looked at each other, and then looked at him as they all said, "Um, yes."

"Ahiru, baby duck, I…"

"Yes, Billy?" she cut in.

"Please, forgive me: I've been so mean to you," he said, not even able to look her in the eyes. Ahiru noticing this, said, "Then, please look at me."

He looked up at what he did not want to see, and that was a pair of very accusing eyes. Mary was giving him the same stare, but not as severe. She leaned over and whispered to her, "Be firm, but be careful: he has to learn how to treat women better, but he is very naïve at the whole thing. Don't go at him like a normal boy: be very frank, firm, but try to sound a bit caring as you do."

She then looked dead at Billy and said, "Billy: I did not appreciate the way you spoke to me these past few days. You act as if you care about me and love me. Well, if you do, then you had better change your recent attitude, because just as quickly as this relationship sprang up, it can also go away. I can insure that you and I never speak again, except for certain obligations of which we know well, and I know that is something you do not want. You cannot speak to us girls in the same way that you speak to guys when things are not going well, because, for us, that carries different meanings. Those words hit us as hard as a slap, and they hit me that hard. You hurt me. I do not appreciate it."

Up to this point, she had been speaking in a matter-of-fact voice, and had not been building in rage at all. However, at this point, there was a quiver in her voice, as if she was going to cry, and a few tears did roll. She continued, "You take so much on you, and that is not good. It makes you hurt people, and you need to learn your limits. I am willing to forgive you, and let this go, and I can act as if nothing happened between us. But, understand, William—and I am not saying this in a hateful or accusing way, but I need to say this—if you want this relationship to continue, you are never, ever to speak to me in that way again. If you do, then you will have shown me your true character, and that I can no longer trust you to be the man I need you to be for me. After that, you will not hear from me unless it is strictly business. I will not even speak to you in casual conversation, lest I risk being hurt again by you, and you will have earned that."

With that, she stood up and approached Billy, who now had hot tears of regret pouring down his face. He wanted to hug her, but she put her hand on his chest. "No!" she said, "And those tears are not going to garnish any sympathy from me, for I will not change what I said. Unless you can say something right now to change things, you are not to even touch me, or get close to me until you have proven to me that you are sorry, and you are the gentleman that I met when school started. Is that understood: I need to hear you say this—is that understood?"

This hit Billy harder than anything did that had yet been said or done. There was a look of terror on his face: something that Mary had been gunning for, as she now knew he understood fully the gravity of the situation. He needed to shape up, or it was all over. The sense of utter loss Mary considered good, because this would stick with him forever, and he would thus ever be careful before he acted like this again. She could only imagine what things could have been like if he had been Captain Marvel in this state of mind. This was why this needed to be as plain and blunt as possible, but not with a lot of lecturing and scolding, showing that there was indeed love and care motivating the proceedings. Billy finally had to man up and say, "I understand, and you are right."

She, very matter-of-factly said, "Yes, I know that I am right. Is this all you wanted to say," knowing that his response now would tell her what steps to take next. Suddenly, Billy began to turn to a gelatinous mass, collapsing to the chair, and now bawling uncontrollably, as if someone had told him that his father had died. "It's happening again!" he exclaimed, "It's happening again: oh God no!"

"Uh-oh!" Mary thought, "This was not what I expected."

Ahiru looked back at Mary for advice, and all she could do at that moment was grit her teeth and shrug her shoulders. Ahiru walked over, and said, "Now what?"

"I don't know," said Mary, "I've never seen anything like this!"

Billy kept muttering between sobs, and they decided to let him vent. It was better than holding it in, because he had been under a lot of stress, and maybe this was what he needed to vent. However, what he was venting was disturbing. "I don't want to be alone! I do not want to be alone again! Mom, Dad, Jimmy, and Cissy, now this: what do I do?"

All the boys could do was sit there silently, they being at a complete loss as what to say. Rue looked very serious and concerned. Now Ahiru feared she may have gone too far, and Mary knew what was going on: Billy still had a lot of unresolved baggage that was now surfacing in all the stress that he had been facing. She came up to Ahiru, and whispered, "I didn't know he had so much baggage."

"What do you mean?" Ahiru whispered back.

"There is stuff that he has buried that he hasn't really gotten over," she whispered, "It's now coming to the surface, and this ripped off the scab."

Billy continued, "I did this to Cissy: she couldn't cope with my shyness, my splitting time between her and Captain Marvel. Why do I lose all that I love? I can't take this anymore!"

Ahiru felt she had no choice. She asked, "Is anyone watching?

They all shook their heads, and then were surprised as she did her change right there in the dayroom. "What are you doing!" exclaimed Rue.

When she emerged as Princess Tutu, she said, "The only thing I know I can do."

Billy was surprised to look up and see Tutu standing before him. In this state, all she could do was be sympathetic, and especially now, when there was someone hurting like this. She rotated her hands over her head, as she was wont to do, and then extended the hand to Billy. Billy had never experienced something like this, but considering the situation, he knew nothing else to do. He took her hand.

The dance ensued, and everyone cleared out enough area for Tutu to do her wizardry. "Billy, how can you think that you were to blame for losing your parents?"

"It's not that, it's just everything I have ever really loved is either taken from me, or I lose," he answered.

"Who is Jimmy?" she then asked.

"He was a homeless kid," he said, "He and I lived in the same abandoned subway. He went to school, and covered for me. The state was looking for me, and I didn't want to go back, because I didn't want it to happen again: they placing me with another monster."

"I thought that he said you were dead?" she asked.

"He did, but it didn't work," he answered, "They soon found out the truth, but he skipped. Sups and I took care of it later, but I just didn't trust the state. How could I?"

"Billy, thank you for telling me that, for that was needed," she said, "But I also think you are blocking a bit. What happened to Jimmy?"

Billy was crying uncontrollably again, but this did not stop the dance. It only added poignancy to it. Of course, no one could hear a thing, but they could only guess what was being conversed at that point. "Oh, Jimmy, I'm so sorry! How could I be so careless? I wanted to protect you, and I couldn't even do that!" said Billy, as he now was, in a sense, being forced to relive that event by Tutu, because she knew that he had to face this. "What happened, Billy?" she asked.

"I can't! It hurts too much!" he shouted.

"There are things you haven't dealt with yet," she said.

"I KILLED HIM, OKAY? I KILLED HIM!" he thundered.

The dance took a notable and pregnant pause. Tutu could not believe what she was hearing. "How did this happen?"

"Gunmen came, looking for me. They saw me witness something with Dr. Savannah. They came to rub me out. I changed. I tried to block the bullets, but they ripped Jimmy apart!" said Billy, in one continuous stream of sentences. Then Tutu asked, "How was it that _you_ did this?"

"I don't know," he said, "Maybe I didn't get in the way? Maybe the bullets bounced off me and into him. I should not have been so cocky in thinking I could protect him. I just did it all wrong!"

"Billy, how can you think you did this?" she said, now trying to be as encouraging as possible.

"No, I've got to turn it into something else," he suddenly said, but Tutu would have none of it.

"Billy, no," she said, "not this time. You have to face this. Those gunmen would have done this whether or not you had been there. You did what you could. You did not do this. Would you have felt better knowing that your friend would have been guaranteed killed had you not been there? With you there, at least he had a chance, and some chance is better than none at all."

Everyone watched as Billy's dance began to calm, and become more flowing, and peaceful. Now, the dance was becoming more of a _pas de deux_ than it had started. They assumed it was the love between them that started it, but in reality, Tutu had gone one to another subject. She asked, "What about Cissy?"

"My being Captain Marvel kept getting in the way. We would start to get close, and then I had to go. I didn't want to lie to her, but she would not have understood. I don't think she was ready to handle it, because I was still trying to get the hang of Captain Marvel. What would that have done to her?"

"Could she be trusted?" she asked, "I mean, was it that you did not trust, or that she was not trustworthy."

"She was always suspicious of me," he said, "even if…" and he trailed off. Then, after a pause, he said "…even if I had not been Captain Marvel."

"How did this get in the way of telling her the truth?" she asked.

"If I had told her," he reasoned, "then every time I went on a call, the tension would have grown, I think."

"I do not think that you are far from the truth in this," said Tutu, "In fact, it seems then that there was already tension: you were unsure of yourself, just entering back into society, you were uncertain around girls, as you were around me, and she wanted someone more certain, as any girl does. However, if she truly loved you, she would have trusted you. She would not have gotten mad for your dashing off. If she had known, would she have not used this as an excuse against you for doing one thing or another? Billy, none of these things is your fault. It seems that they all resulted from your circumstances, and not your choices. Even if you have made a few bad choices, it is time to move on. We can never change the bad choices of the past, but we can change how we deal with them, and change the choices from that point forward. Now, here, at Kinkan, and with us, you have a completely new life. You have friends, you have a new family, and you have a girl that loves you dearly. What you have been trying to do is be so in charge that there would never be a chance that you would lose anything again. Yet, your way of handling it almost caused what you tried so hard to prevent. Please, Billy: stop hurting yourself, and stop kicking yourself for things that you could not control, or for choices that you now cannot change. For if you do not stop hurting yourself, you will hurt all those that you love, and lose all that you truly desire. Make this a whole new day, Billy. Be reborn, and let this day be your new starting point. If you do, I will walk the whole way with you, helping you stay on the road."

At this, they kissed, as everyone applauded to the sight, and it was quite a passionate one at that! When they separated, Billy fell back into the chair, this time with tears of joy. This time, Tutu verbalized, "Besides, consider that part of all your presents."

This snapped him out of it, and he said, surprised, "My…my presents?"

Mary interjected, and said, "Billy, you have been pushing yourself so hard that you forgot that today is both our birthdays!"

Now Billy looked shocked! "Oh, Mary," he sputtered, "I didn't get you anything, I…"

"Stop right there," she said, "I got you as a brother this year, whereas before, I had none. What better a present could I have asked for?"

With that, Ahiru reentered the day room from the RD's desk, (having already transformed back into Ahiru,) and retrieved the birthday cake from the desk, after having the RD light the candles. At that, they all sang "Happy Birthday" to the birthday siblings. Mary held up a glass of soda, and said, "To my womb mate!"

They all had a good laugh, and proceeded to have some fun. Eventually, the rest of the dorm heard the goings on downstairs, and came down to investigate. By this point, the six had gotten their instruments out, and were trying to work out some carols, since it was the yuletide season. The music students then fetched their instruments, and began to play with them, as well as aid them in learning their instruments better at the same time. Then, someone suggested that the six of them join them for a Victorian celebration in town the coming Friday, and sing with them, and play. They could also do a bit of dancing, if they liked. A few in the theatre department said that some Victorian garb was being made available for use in this, and they were welcome to all of it. Indeed, this would be a fun lead up to the week of Holiday Extravaganza.

They were now taking rehearsals in the theatre, and on that Monday, the students working on _Cinderella_ were in for a surprise. For, at the end of the shows the next week, many of the alumni were coming back for an ersatz homecoming show. That show would not be limited to Christmas and the yuletide season, though normally, many took on themes as such. It also attracted guest stars who had built friendships with those graduates while in the business. Some of those celebrities had already been arriving, and one of them graced the theatre on that day. Mr. Katt stepped in front of everyone, and said, "Ladies and gentleman, all this week, we have a guest coach who will be helping us with the final rehearsals."

Some groaned, considering that, sometimes, these "guest coaches" turned out to be some of the biggest jerks and nuisances that they had ever seen. Mr. Katt, having had to deal with some bad coaches during his time coming up, said, "I know, I know, but I think you will not mind this one! Sasha, would you please come on out?"

At that, a well known Russian dancer came out of the stage wings, and warmly introduced himself to the group. Though he had his formal name, he insisted that people call him "Sasha." He said, in his thick Russian accent, "Gustaph, it is so good to see you, old friend!"

They hugged, and then said, "Well, kids, let us see what you have."

They then began to do the entire show from beginning to end, and they were surprised that he just sat there and watched the whole thing. After it was over, he asked the cast to sit in the seats out front, and he took his position in front of the group. He then began to deal with the show, saying, "That was actually fairly well done. However, there are a few things that I would like to address. Some of you in the intermediate level that are acting in the background seem to be going though the motions just a bit. It is not that you did badly, but I think that it is a bit of a situation where you are at a stage in your learning where you have to learn to put more passion in what you do. This will help you keep your line, and crispness in your dance. You will attack the numbers more, and you will be so caught up in what you are doing that you will not be so focused on what you are doing. In other words, you already know what to do; now you need to bring it to life. When you do, instinct will take over, and you will absolutely make the ballroom scene have the dazzle it needs to add impact to the _pas de deux_ in that scene. Now, to the five students that are acting in the lead roles: the passion is there, yet I detect that there is a bit of uncertainty in your characterization. Who is Cinderella? Would you please stand?"

Ahiru stood, and he said, "You are doing well in your portrayal; you just need to connect to it a bit more. Where it seems that you are having problems is when you do your _pas de deux_ with Gustaph."

"Well, he is my teacher," she said, "and that makes me a bit nervous. Besides, he keeps threatening marriage to him if I mess up!"

"Gustaph, Gustaph," he said, "you still have not broken that habit, have you?"

He hung his head, a bit embarrassed. "Don't worry," said Sasha, "you'll find that special someone one day. However, that is not helping her. You have to set her at ease."

Mr. Katt stood up formally, one hand behind his back, and one on his chest, fist closed, and said, "My dear, I am sorry. Please, do not think of me as your teacher right now, but one of your fellow performers, for Sasha is technically the teacher now, and even I have something to learn today."

Ahiru giggled, smiled, and said, "Apology accepted," as she did a quick curtsey. Then Sasha said, "Of course, your dance with the prince is filled with _a lot_ of passion—perhaps a touch too much."

Both Billy and Ahiru blushed, and he said, "Ah…I see! You two are…" and he moved his fore and middle fingers up and down in an alternating fashion. He continued, and said, "Please, do not be embarrassed. In fact, because you two are this way, it does help. However, what I mean about too much passion is the fact that the two of you are dancing as if you two had known each other for years. You have to dance the dance of new love."

Ahiru thought for a moment, and then said, "Hey, Billy, what about the first variety show: remember?"

"Yeah, that's right," he said. Sasha cocked his head a bit, and Mr. Katt then said, "They refer to an act that they did for our first variety show with four of their friends. One of them is working another show right now, but they have formed an act. They call themselves the Pas De Six. I've been helping them cohere."

"Already forming acts are you?" asked Sasha rhetorically, "It shows in your dancing. That will really help your skills gel. Can I see what the two of you did as part of the act?"

Billy said, "I don't have the music with me," but the soundman in the booth hit his mic and said, "I think I still have it up here…wait, here it is!"

"I know you two are not quite in costume for it, but, let me see it, please?" Sasha then requested.

With that, they took the stage, and went through the routine once again. He then said, "Very good! It could still use some refining, but better than two students that I would guess are in the intermediate class."

Although he had told them that it still needed work, to hear what he had said felt like quite a compliment at that moment. They came back down and took their seats, this time, beside each other. "So," he continued, "what you just portrayed, you need to put in what you do here, with just a bit of that passion I saw earlier: two lovers, destined for one another, though they do not know it yet, but are discovering just how sweet love can be. Give me that!"

He then turned his attention to the boys, who felt uncomfortable sitting there in costume, having been in drag for the rehearsal for the first time. They wanted out of those outfits, but they had to first endure this. He said, "You two need to be more snobbish, and more like two bickering siblings."

"I think you remember, Fakir," ribbed Mytho.

"More than I want to," responded Fakir coldly, but with a smile on his face.

"That, right there!" Sasha exclaimed, "That is exactly what I want, but a bit more feminine."

They rolled their eyes, but Ahiru chirped, "You guys know: just like me and Rue," as she turned a knowing glance her way. She curtly smiled a mock smile, which, if she had been a small child, would have been a stuck out tongue. Sasha caught this, and then said, "And you: you need to be a bit more sinister. You are the wicked stepmother, who despises the beauty of her stepdaughter, and who knows that will more than likely take the good, rich man that you hope they would one day marry. You even wish that she were dead, if that would aid your greedy schemes. In fact, in watching you, you seemed to want to avoid this. There even seemed to be a hint of you loving her. NO, NO, NO! You have to avoid this. Are you two friends?"

"We're a part of the same act," Rue said.

"Have you been friends for a long time?" he then asked.

She hung her head, and said, "Not as long as we should have been."

"What happened before?" he asked.

"We were…we were rivals," she said, "and I tried to do some cruel things. I am ashamed of that now. We never should have been rivals."

Sasha thought for a moment, and then said, "This is going to be hard, but, at least on stage, and I do mean 'just on stage,' you will have to bring those emotions to the surface. You cannot avoid them. Those emotions of rivalry are just what you need for this."

She sat their quite, and just nodded her ascent. He then said, "Tomorrow, we are going to go over vital scenes, and I am going to help some with your form, and help you to be a bit crisper, and help you to attack the dance a bit better. Then, until tomorrow, I say, '_Das Vidaniay_.'"

Everyone thanked Sasha, and then went to change. The boys began to discuss some events before Mytho lost his spiritual heart, and Billy and Ahiru began to recall the days when they had first met. However, Rue took Ahiru aside for a moment, and told her, "Look, I have not wanted to…" but Ahiru interrupted and said, "I think I know what you mean."

However, Rue continued, "Well, please understand. For the next few days, and for the show, while we are up there, I am going to treat you as mean as I can. It is nothing personal, okay. It's just…what did Billy call it…ah, yes: the Method."

Ahiru thought for a moment, and said, "Then…then I will just respond like Tutu would: with love in return."

She then leaned in and whispered to Rue, "I know that aggravated you no end!" saying this with an evil grin. Rue returned the grin, and said, "Don't make me hurt you," as she put Ahiru into a playful headlock. With a slight shove towards Billy, and a smile, she said, "Get out of here!"

The next day, Sasha showed that he had a lot of patience, but he also was constantly correcting and reminding as people went through their sequences. Quite often, you would hear, "Watch your line! Mind your _Porte Bras_! Passion: I need to see more passion!"

Sometimes, he would stop a dance mid stream and put arms and legs into the position that he thought would fit best at that moment: pulling here, and tapping there, occasionally turning a dance step here and there for them to see what he meant. Even Mr. Katt was corrected a few times, and Sasha even teased, "…and if you do not get it right, you will have to marry me immediately."

Everyone tried to stifle the laughs, and they were not succeeding very well. If they could have seen under the fur, they would have seen him blush. However, by Thursday, he said very little, as his meanings were being understood and implemented. On Friday, they did the dress rehearsal, and one thing went wrong after another. Frustration was mounting, but Billy was managing to keep it together. However, below stage, in the dressing rooms, Ahiru was in for a shock.

When Ahiru had performed _Swan Lake_ the year before, she did not need to make any costume changes, so she did not go back down. However, there were changes here, and she was about to get an education in the world of live theater that few know about. When it came time for everyone to change into their costumes for the ball, they rushed down, and almost carried Ahiru as if they were the tide. They descended from the side that was closest to the female dressing room, and Ahiru was shocked to see the boys go in the same door! There were those that were in various states of dress, and Rue was already down there changing. However, the boys paid it no mind, and shot straight through to the door that separated the two dressing rooms. She found it odd to find it unlocked. She stared at the now closing door bug-eyed, but Rue grabbed her, spun her around, and said, "Hey! Snap out of it! You need to get changed."

With that, she started to unzip Ahiru out of her costume, and she took the hint. She quickly got out of her plain toe shoes, and got out of her tatters. Halfway through the job, Mytho, Fakir, and Billy all charged through the door, and sprinted for the exit. Before they got out, Rue chimed to Billy, "Say, pass me that talc, would you?"  
"Yeah, sure," he said very quickly. He snatched it up, plopped it down quickly, and took off, paying Ahiru no mind, who was now covering up, red as a beet. At that same moment, a girl, who was trying to get upstairs with them, stood in front of Mytho, with her back to her, saying, "Hey, please, zip me up!"

He zipped as they both walked, and then they both charged out when the job was finished. Just as Billy was turning to leave, Rue took the front of her strapless tutu, whipped it down, and started to pat the undersides of her breasts with the powder puff Billy had just delivered. Again, Billy paid it no mind, and really had already turned around before he could have seen anything. Ahiru was almost done, and Rue then helped her on with the "glass slippers." Ahiru asked, "Where are my knot keepers?"

"There's no time for that," said Rue, who then used an old school trick, by grabbing a can of hairspray, spraying the ribbons on her ankles, and said, "It will feel a bit sticky for a few, but you'll get used to it. Fix your makeup! I'll be waiting upstairs."

Ahiru was now mechanically putting on her makeup for the ball, not sure what had just happened. One thing she knew was this: for intermission, she was going to insure that the boys used their own door.

At the time intermission came up, Ahiru, (not quite walking right, having to strip off one shoe for the "lost slipper" to be found by the prince,) took her place by the door, looking to turn away any boy that tried to enter. To her surprise, they walked right past, not even looking at her, going to their side. Now she was really confused! Rue saw her standing there, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Hey, wake up and focus! We only have about 15 minutes!"

At that, she grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the room. "What is wrong with you?" asked Rue.

"You didn't see that?" asked Ahiru in return, now beginning to change for the final sequence.

"I didn't see what?" asked Rue back.

"Those boys just went through like we weren't even in here!" she peeped, angrily, "Billy almost saw you…I think he saw me!"

"What? Oh, are you referring to…?" said Rue, and then she began to laugh. "This is your first show with costume changes in it, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, I think so?" said Ahiru.

"Trust me," Rue said in return, "Billy took it like a true experienced veteran: he saw nothing. Even if he did, he was probably so focused on getting upstairs he probably doesn't even remember who's what he saw on whom."

"But…but you just let them go," Ahiru reasoned.

"We do the same to them, honey," she said, "Sometimes; being in the right place at the right time can be the matter of a split second. Thus, cutting through one another's dressing rooms are actually commonplace in the world of the performing arts, because all of us know what is at stake in any show. In all actuality, we do try not to cut through, but we also understand that timing is everything. If there is no need to pass through, then we do not. However, we also understand if someone tears through. As long as they don't make a habit of it, and make no effort to stare, then it is something that we just have to tolerate."

"But you had Billy stop to hand you the talc," Ahiru reasoned, "What was that about?"

"He was closest," said Rue, "It would have taken too long for me to get up and get, and too long for someone else. Besides, you were behind, and I didn't want to slow you up any more."

"But what if he saw?" said Ahiru.

"What IF he saw?" said Rue in return, "I would have missed my cue if I had waited for him to get out of eyesight, and then powder myself. If he was in his dressing room, and wanted some foot powder, sitting there in his BVD's, I would have stuffed it in his hand, and kept going. Even Mytho was recruited. I'm not jealous. She needed help, and he was closest."

"It still seems awkward," she said.

"You'll get used to it," said Rue.

A light in the room faded in and out, and that was the indicator to be in place. Ahiru had just gotten dressed, saw this, and said, "Uh oh! Got to go!" and started for the exit. Rue, getting back into her frame of mind for the show, grabbed her, turned her around, and said, "No time: go this way," and opened the partition door, pulling her behind. They went through as a few boys shot the other way. Rue was rushing her, and as they passed through, Mr. Katt said, "My cane: Ahiru, toss it to me!"

She took a split second to locate it in the corner, snatched it up, swung it behind her back like Bob Cousey, and he kept going as he followed behind them. Rue said, "Good, you're learning!"

Still, the show did not go off as crisply as it could have, and most of the newer kids to this were scared that they would end up a harem for Mr. Katt. However, he laughed and wrote it off, and he said, "There is an old saying in the business: a bad dress rehearsal makes for a great show. There is truth to this, in that, we now at least know where the worst kinks in the show are, and we can fix them now. It is better here than on opening night, especially that this one show only has one performance this time around. You kids were great; it was just some cuing and technical issues. So, get some rest this weekend, and be ready for your academic exams on Monday. Once done, all we have to worry about the rest of the week is the Holiday Extravaganza, and then Christmas break."

A collective sigh of relief came over the cast, and they all went home to study and rest. Billy, however, had to return the next evening for his dress rehearsal of _A Christmas Carol_. Ahiru walked back with him to the dorm, and asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he answered, "I'm just going to hit the sack early tonight, and then hit the books tomorrow, then the dress rehearsal."

"Hey," she said, "don't forget to relax some, okay."

She stroked his hair a bit, and said, "Hey, why don't you come out at lunchtime or so, and we can play a little. I could always use the practice."

"Kind of like when we first met?" he asked.

"Sort of," she said, "Who knows who could show up. A good hour's break might keep your mind fresh."

She tenderly kissed him, and then placed her forehead on his. As this was happening, someone was playing the soundtrack to _Singing in the Rain_, and it reached the title track. As fate would have it, it began to rain at that point. Feeling a little silly, Billy began to sing Gene Kelly's part, and drift out into the rain. "Billy, what are you doing?" she asked, "You'll catch cold!"

He did not seem to care, as he began to sing the song, and do the tap dance that went with it in the movie. "Wow!" she said, "He really can tap! That has to be why he's so light on his feet more than most guys I know."

Oddly enough, Mr. Katt was heading off campus to his home at that moment, huddled under a large umbrella, still not liking the water. At the precise moment Kelly bumped into the cop in the film, Billy bumped into Mr. Katt, who looked amazed as his happy and soaked student. All Billy could say was, "_I'm singing, and dancing in the rain!_" as he bowed, and danced his way back to the dorm. All Mr. Katt could do was shake his head and go on. He rushed back to the dorm, and said, "Girl, I thought two disciplines were going to be hard, but you have breathed the breath of life into me! Thank you! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get into a hot shower before I really do catch cold. G'nite, Baby Duck! "

With a quick peck, he was on his way. Ahiru said, "Whee!" and quickly danced her way across to her own dorm, happy as bird on the wing.

The next day, Billy woke up feeling somehow energized, and showered again, happy that he had not caught cold. That would have been a disaster for the show. He hit the dining hall, wolfed down his breakfast, and headed back to his dorm for some study. At about noon, he went to the spot on the mall where he had met her, and she was already waiting for him with a picnic spread. The others were there with them, and Rue said, "No fun having a picnic without friends!"

They all had their instruments, and they began to have an impromptu jam session as they dined. They covered some folk songs, and even covered an Abba tune here and there in those instruments, making a unique sound with the harmonies. They covered a few Irish tunes, trying to be sure that they were building an eclectic repertoire. Billy also said, "It would also help us if someone had the knack for lyrics. We could use some original songs. Is anyone a good wordsmith?"

Mary then said, "I've been good somewhat with poetry. Maybe I could give some of that to you, and you could put some music to it?"

"It's worth a try," said Billy. At that moment, the school's pipe and drum corps was coming by, and they saw the session going on. They came up and said, "Where's the percussion?"

"In this style, the beat is kept by the base," said Billy.

"Aw, no fair," one exclaimed, "Just like percussion: always pushed to the back."

"C'mon, guys," said Billy, "Join in on the next one."

He then gathered them together, and whispered, "The Obvious Child."

A few did not know the song, but the others clued them in on the rhythm, and the styling. They then nodded, and the snares started in. It sounded like a march at first, and then took off in a South American rhythm. This is when Billy tore in with his 12 string, and before long, everyone there was joining in. This began to get the attention of the people around, and they came in to see the impromptu concert going on. After the song, people applauded, and they wanted them to go on, but Billy said that he had to get back to the books. He then said, "If you want more, then I hope we all get to see you at the variety show next week. The Pas De Six will be there in full force!"

They all applauded, and went their way. As they were cleaning up the picnic, they all looked at him, wondering what that was all about. "Hey, if we are going to be an act," he said, "then the publicity will not hurt."

"You make it sound like this thing is already solid," said Rue, "But three of us are graduating. How can we go on?"

Billy smiled, and said, "Leave that to me. One thing that Mr. Katt said to me about all of this was that, if we were to hit big time, then, even though three of us will still be in school, we could still be this act. Besides, he said that doing this, even though we are in school, makes a good name for the school, so the school's cool with it."

"So, what are going to do," asked Rue, "open a theater somewhere around here?"

"Who knows," answered Billy, "Even some of the great acts own their own theater to perform in when they are not touring. Anything is possible. Just keep aiming high."

With that, he took his leave, took a short nap, returned to his studies, ate, and went to the theater.

Billy went to the theater, and Ahiru brought up the rear, she not wanting Billy to know that she was going to watch him work. This was mainly that, well, she missed him, and did not like the fact that she could not see him for but only one hour that weekend. She knew she had her own studies to worry about, but she was ready for that. Besides, she needed the break. However, she did not want him to worry himself about her and any anxieties that she may have, because she wanted to be sure that his whole mind be on what he wanted to get accomplished. Although, there were some rough spots, as would be expected in a dress rehearsal, the show went well. Ahiru was amazed at Billy's performance, and that he had the energy to pull this off. He did so well that it did not even seem like Billy anymore. He really seemed to become Ebenezer Scrooge, and now she understood even better now how the Method worked. She decided that, when they got back for the second semester, she would look up on this, and learn as much as she could. After it was done, she slipped out before the cast took their place in the seats for the critique. Yes, Billy would be okay. It was so sweet to know she had aided her Rubber Duckie.

However, none of this escaped the view of Edel, as her standard ravens would come back from their scouting runs, and gave their report as she used her herbal skills to give temporary ability to them to speak. She had been keeping her eye on them, as she prepared her battalion of minions. She had also managed to corrupt and convert about 10 men as acolytes to the Raven, through whom she would rule the minions. At that moment, they were working to summon a presence of the Raven himself. There was only so far he could enter into this realm, because of how he was originally trapped by the shattering of Mytho's heart, and how he needed that, or some pure heart, to sacrifice and feed him fully into this realm, and to conquer the earth. At least this way, some form of communication with their master could be done, so that they could receive his will. As they chanted, the amphitheater in the cave within which they held court, (which was not but a mile from the school,) filled with a seeming black fog. Two red ovals formed within them, staring down as eyes amongst the group. "This had better be important," he thundered, as a red shape formed words underneath the eye, giving the appearance of something with a beak speaking, "You know it hurts to try to cross over like this to communicate."

"Oh great Raven," said Edel, worshipfully, "please forgive the inconvenience, but I needed to give you a report."

"Give it swiftly," he said, "I already suffer pain where I am, and this does not help! When are you going to release me?"

"All is being readied," she responded, "I am raising and preparing a battalion of raven men, with competent commanders. I must prepare for the ballet brat and her friends."

"Really, Edel," he said, "How hard is it to tend to children?"

"It's not that, master," she said, "she has recruited Captain Marvel and possibly other heroes…"

"_Captain Marvel!_" he thundered, "Do not tell me that the old wizard is involved?"

"Old wizard?" queried Edel, "I do not understand?"

"Shazam is getting involved!" he thundered, "You may have more trouble than you think."

"Who is Shazam?" she asked.

"He is one of a long line of heroes," he grumbled, "and was the one who bestowed the ability of one to become his successor: Captain Marvel. He is very powerful, and you cannot underestimate his ability."

"Then it must have been him that bestowed the new pendants on the girls."

"HE DID WHAT!!!" he thundered as the cave shook.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, not sure if that was the right question.

"If they have been empowered by the wizard, then there is no controlling them, as you had before," he said, "If they ever find out their power, nay, their own true origins, they may find that power, and it will be all over for all of us!"

"What do we do?" she said, now terrified.

"Find out who is the true identity of Captain Marvel, capture this one, gag him, and insure he cannot say the wizard's name. Cut out his tongue later, to insure it never happens again. Get the pendants and destroy them. If you can be rid of the Swan Sisters before the wizard can replace them, then all will be well. The Knight Prince and his pitiful protector would not be able to stop all that you have, and the Knight Prince's heart will be a prime coronation meal for when I am crowned emperor of the earth. Once I have that power, then no hero on earth would be able to stop me, not even the Amazons, of whom I have battled before. Insure that Princess Diana does not get involved. She may expose the sisters to more knowledge than I would wish them to have. This would cause them to be protective of their pendants, and make it almost impossible to stop them. For now, lie low, and let them gain a false sense of security. Get their guard down, and then strike! I cannot stay. I must go. Do not fail me, and summon me not again until all is set."

With that, the black mist vanished, and the ten priests were on their face paying homage. Thus, the first thing Edel needed to do was to send a raven to the school, and trail the kids until something exposes itself about Captain Marvel. She picked up her beloved messenger and said, "Go now, and stay with the ballet brat and her friends. If you can figure out which one is Captain Marvel, come back with word right away."

It cawed, and flew off. "Yes," she thought, "It may take months, but I will be ready for you all! Revenge shall be mine!"

Ahiru awoke the next morning, cuddling the plush toy duck that Billy had given to her. Her eyes opened in such a fashion that this was the first thing she saw. It was a caricature yellow duck with a waft of feathers that curled up above its slightly oversized head, an orange band about its neck, and with white and orange bands around its legs over the webbed feet. About its neck was the mock pendant. It always reminded her of him, and that night, she brought it into her bed, because she wanted him around more, and the shows were making it difficult for him to be around. This would have to do. She put on a casual dress, and decided to take a walk. She put on her hat, grabbed her purse, dressed warmly for the cold December day that awaited her, and then looked back. She saw the duck, and decided to take it with her. She had not gone far when she saw Billy exiting the boy's dorm with his 12 string, his laptop, and a pair of skates. She was so happy to see him out and about that she rushed up and almost tackled him as she hugged him hard. "Billy, what are you doing out?" she asked, happily.

"I've gone over my notes so many times that, if I don't know it by now, I never will," he answered, "Besides, I don't want to burn out again, and I figured that I would just take it easy today—you know: be rested up for tomorrow's finals. Well, I guess I'll take it as easy as one can on skates."

"Hold on," she said, "Let me get something."

She rushed back to her room, set the duck down, said to it, "Thanks for your company, but Billy's here, and I'll see you later, okay," giving a loving tweak to its nose, grabbed her autoharp, and went out to meet him again. Billy looked happy to see that she wanted to practice. He then asked as they walked, "Where's the duck?"

She almost seemed embarrassed to tell him, but then said, a bit timidly, "When you're not around, he keeps me company," and bit her lower lip like a little girl. For some reason, at that moment, she seemed extremely attractive to him. He also liked the fact that the toy meant that much to her. He then said, "Say," he said, "can you skate?"

"Well, I can at least stay on my feet," she said.

"Tell you what, let's hit town real quick," he said. With that, they went to town, and they went to a sporting goods shop where Billy bought for her a pair of white figure skates. They then headed back to the school, and for the lake not too far behind the school wall. That small lake had just been recently cleared as safe for skating, and Billy figured that he could play for a while, and then skate for a bit. He had not expected this, but welcomed her company. As they walked to the lake, he said, "So, how'd you like the show last night?"

"Oh, it was…" and she stopped herself, and turned red. She then said, "How did you know?"

"Well, I saw someone out there, but I couldn't make out just who. Then, as we were taking our seats in the audience, I couldn't help but see the trail of long red hair going out as you closed the door. No one on campus has hair like yours!"

She smiled, put her arm around his, and snuggled close. He returned the favor. "Oh God," he thought, "Never let anything come between us and separate us."

When they arrived at the lake, various other skaters had already arrived and were spinning around the ice in various ways. They had not seen Rue and Mytho out there as of yet, but they would soon. Billy helped her into her skates, and guided her onto the ice. She took a few easy strokes in order to re-familiarize herself with skating. Billy, however, began to twirl around the ice, and did a few jumps and spins. Ahiru looked amazed, and thought, "Is there anything that he _can't_ do?"

She skated up to him, and asked, "Where did you learn that?"

"Well," he said, "I've spent time watching actual competitors do their things, and I figured that I could just use some ballet with it. Some of the skills are the same, with a bit of modification. I still have to refine it, but it is still fun to try."

Ahiru thought about that, then took a few strokes to get up to speed, and did what she would do to do a pirouette. Because her ankles were now quite strong, she found it easy to prop herself up on her toe. However, she also learned quickly about arms, and their location on the spin. She found that, as she drew them in, she went faster. She also discovered another problem. In spinning during ballet, she had learned that, to keep from becoming dizzy, you kept your head fixed as you spun, and snapped it forward when you could hold it there no more, and then focus again. However, she could not do this skating, because of the speed. At this, she was beginning to get out of control, and Billy quickly came up to stop her spin. As he held her, he could see her eyes spinning in her head. She said, "Stop the lake: I wanna get off!"

"You have to be careful, Baby Duck!" said Billy, "Here, let me show you a few things."

"How do you keep from becoming dizzy?" she asked, trying to regain her composure.

"That's just something you have to learn to get used to," he said.

He then started showing her some of the basic moves, and then told her, "When you jump, spin, and land in ballet, of course, you will not be moving when you land. Well, here, when you do that, you're going to keep going, so you have to watch your balance."

At that, he took her, faced her to him, they took off, and he lifted her off her skates, and spun her away. She did a double Lutz, tried to land in an arabesque, and fought to keep her balance. She did manage to steady herself for a second before she brought her other foot down. It was a bit scary, but a bit exhilarating. He then said, "Let me get a bit of music going," feeling it might help. He went to the bank, fired up his laptop, and, once done, he brought up "The Skater's Waltz," setting it on a loop, and said, "I hope the battery lasts for this."

He then began to teach a little about ice dancing as they began to twirl about the ice. She then said, "Let's try some _pas de deux_ stuff in this."

"Okay," he said, "But remember: we're going to be moving as we do, so take that into account for balance sake."

Thus, they began. It was a bit awkward in the moves, because neither of them were used to doing them while moving at a decent clip. They were off balance here and their. However, they weren't as concerned about looking good as much as they were more concerned about having fun. Eventually, they gained enough courage to try a few lifts, almost fell over once, but began to get the hang of it. Soon, they began to get a bit cold, and decided to retreat to the warming tent. It was a couple of frame tents that were surplus from the military, and were good for making a good warming shack. One of the townsfolk that ran a local coffee shop set it up yearly at the lake, figuring that skaters would always be looking to warm themselves at some point. The two grabbed their things and went in. They took off their skates and got some hot cocoa, and then were surprised to see the other four there already. "How long have you guys been here?" Ahiru asked.

"We were already here," said Rue, pointing, at not only the rest of the six, but also Mai, Yuma, Nana, and other classmates. "I was wondering when you two would come here," said Yuma, as she looked at them knowingly. Some of the townsfolk then recognized the six, and said, "Hey, you guys are the Pas De Six from the variety show, aren't you?"

Others recognized them, and began to group around them. They all began to give various comments about what they liked about them, and had a slough of questions. A few even asked for autographs! Suddenly, there came a realization to the six that Billy's words about remaining an act were gaining weight, as they began to see how the pressure of fans could shape one's choices. They were already recognized as an act now; they all began to realize that fate would now not let them separate—either as an act, or as a super team. Some then began to say, "We saw you guys dancing on the ice, now we want some songs!"

Everyone began to cheer this on. Billy looked over, "Dancing? What were you guys doing?"

"About the same thing you two were," said Mary, as she then leaned over and gave Fakir a peck on the cheek. She looked at him with somewhat dreamy eyes, and he stroked her chin with a tender smile. "Okay," said Billy, "it's been obvious that you two have been warming to each other. But, how long have you two been an item without us really knowing?"

Rue then said, "Even in love, he is the quite, subtle one, isn't he?"

"You can't do anything overtly, can you?" asked Mytho.

Fakir just sunk his head and sighed as he grinned, not knowing what to answer. This was as close to blushing that anyone had ever seen Fakir come to. However, people were demanding a song, and so Billy and Ahiru got out their instruments. He said, "Well, we were no Olympians out there, that's for sure, but I hope we can sing better than we skate!"

He then said to Ahiru, "Just play the rhythm chords, and I'll fill in the leads."

Billy then said to the crowds, "Well, we don't all have our instruments here, so we're going to improvise a bit. However, this is Christmas time, so we're going to do some seasonal music. So, everyone join in if you know the song, and let us know what you want to hear: we'll see if we can do it."

With that, an impromptu concert started, with full audience participation. Billy had intended to relax that day, however, though everyone would be quite exhausted by the end of the day, Billy felt more relaxed than if he had just by skating and playing around on his guitar. It was because his mind was now at ease, which was what he needed all along.

All of the six now found it easy to flow through the first semester academic exams, because they all now had such a great peace about them. Ahiru even brought her plush toy for luck, which she was now calling "Rubber Ducky." Even though this was supposed to represent her, it represented something of him far more than what the external showed. This peace was produced by knowing that you had a future, and you had good friends with whom to share them. They did not even bother with checking the results later that day, because they knew that all would be well. They would have time for that the next day. That night, the first show took place, which was the play. Billy thanked everyone for coming, and noticed something interesting. Mai was no longer cutting her hair. It was now down past her collar, and flared out at the end. She was also wearing one of Yuma's dresses. They were about the same size, but Yuma never foresaw the day when she would ask to borrow dresses. Yuma, when she heard this asked, was pleased as punch to do so, and even to help pick out one that suited her. She was still somewhat of a tomboy; however, Mary's work with her was beginning to take root. She was finally beginning to find her feminine side. One thing she could not help get over was all the looks that some of the boys were giving to her. It made her feel a bit embarrassed that so many people were noticing her, but she also liked the fact that…well…everyone was noticing her! Yuma and Nana both put their arms around her, giving her reassurance that she was doing just fine, and she did not have to worry. The play went off without a hitch, and Billy really threw himself into the role. He was extremely convincing on both ends of the spectrum of the character that he portrayed. The best scenes in the show were with the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the scene in the graveyard. The effects crew outdid themselves that night, (considering that stagecraft was one thing that this particular school also offered, and the shows were something that they were graded on as well.) No one could wait for the next night. That would be the performance of the oratorio of _Carmina Burana._ They knew that there was going to be some ballet with it, as some places around the country do so when performing this. Following that in the same evening would be the Fawcett City Ballet's performance of _the Nutcracker_. Yuma did indeed wind up with the lead in that, as Mr. Katt expected, and she was looking forward to that herself. That was the first time she ever worked with a professional ballet company, and she absorbed much in the way of experience: something Mr. Katt had intended all along. The next night came, and the music and voice departments did not disappoint. However, Billy commented to the others that, though he liked the piece, he could not help but to equate the piece to a musical train wreck: you know you should not look, but you just cannot help but look. He was certain that Carl Orff was either an authentic genius or a certified whacko.

Then it came the time for _Cinderella._ Ahiru now had learned how to turn the butterflies to her favor, and how to apply the method. By doing so, she went out and danced as if she was possessed. The _pas de deux_ with her teacher went better than it ever had in rehearsals. It seemed to be the atmosphere of the audience that provided the extra edge. She even forgot what Mr. Katt truly was, and she was able to relax enough to pull off the scene convincingly. In this atmosphere, she gained a new appreciation for Mr. Katt. She now realized how much that discipline of his played in. He was such a professional, he was able to set aside his position as mentor, and treated Ahiru as a peer, not as a student. After that first scene, she was fired up more than she ever had been for anything in her life. Billy had no idea what kind of trouble he was in. Although they did their scene with expertise, Billy was almost overwhelmed at the person with whom he danced. It almost did not seem like Ahiru, but it seemed more like Ahiru had taken a back seat, and all of whom Tutu truly was, was manifesting herself at that moment. The love that they had for each other, which had intensified greatly by this point, came through their dance. They were able to catch the essence of new love, but more intense than had been expected of them. The boys were also able to catch the essence of female sibling rivalry, and their portrayal of the ugly stepsisters had the whole audience in stitches!

The next night was the variety show, and because the classes had been done since Monday, they were able to get the rest they needed after each show to be able to perform the next night if they had to. This was the night when the Pas De Six were going to debut with instruments and singing, as well as dance. They were to lead off the second half of the show, and before it got started, they surprised everyone downstairs. They remembered the haka that they had seen, and decided that it would be something fun to do right before going on to shake any extra butterflies that they did not need. They had taken the time to learn it, and then shocked everyone by standing in a receiving room next to the understage and thundering the haka. After that, they whooped, yelled as they high-fived one another, and went upstairs to perform. At first, everyone looked askance at this, but then saw the teamwork and camaraderie that it caused, and then everyone began to applaud, as they saw its result. As they went up, a Kiwi stopped them, and thanked them for doing the haka right, and for honoring his homeland like that. This made them feel more confident than ever knowing that they were learning how to connect with all kinds of audiences. They started with the _pas de six_ of Enya's rendition of "Silent Night" in Gaelic. The scene was surreal, yet they were able to portray in quite a peaceful yet powerful way the scene that the words portrayed no matter in what language the song was sung. Mr. Katt wanted to use this as an opportunity to demonstrate that anyone—even those who are naïve about the world of ballet—can understand the language of dance. They seemed to succeed at this, as the audience was mesmerized by what they were seeing, and fully grasped the message of the song, even though they, (unless they were Scottish or Irish,) could not understand the words. They knew the tune, knew the English, and saw the words come to life as they danced. After that, Rue and Mary went to a discreet just off stage to do a quick change of costume as Billy spoke. Billy took up the guitar, Ahiru her autoharp, Mytho his violin, and Fakir his acoustic bass, and Billy began to introduce the next number. "Okay, this is a song that has its trappings in the streets of any city in Mexico, in more of the poorer parts of those cities. We shall see some of the traditions of the Christmas celebration of Mexico as we see the portrayal of the story of an orphan girl who receives a miracle for her simple, humble gift."

He quickly glanced back to see if they were ready. He then continued, "So we hope you enjoy this portrayal of a song simply and appropriately entitled 'The Gift.'"

Seeing four of them with instruments, and then preparing to sing, caught some of the audience off guard. Even though they knew that Billy could sing, they were quite surprised when Ahiru opened her mouth and began to sing, and they who were not dancing began to play. She began to sing as her sweet, lilting, and youthful voice carried throughout the auditorium as the song unfolded. Mary was Maria, and Rue played the little nightingale that she nurses back to health. In Mexico, it is tradition to leave gifts by the nativity inside the church for the Christ child, as well as give gifts to one another. In the song, everyone brought their finest to the church as gifts, but all Maria had was a small bird in a cage made of rushes and twine. She waited until midnight on Christmas Eve to go into the church, because she was so ashamed of what she had to offer, for the bird and cage was all she had. She felt her gift was unworthy of the Christ child. However, a voice spoke to her from the darkness, and asked to see the bird, if that was indeed her offering. She did as she was bidden, and the little bird flew out, fully healed, and it flew into the rafters. Just as the bells rang, the bird sang a song so beautiful that no words could have recaptured it, for its beauty was fit for a king. All this was being portrayed in dance as it was being sung. Ahiru finished the last line, and then Rue and Mary went into a _pas de deux_ together for a spell. Ahiru repeated the last line, and closed it out as the scene had the two girls in a _pose_ as the front lights faded, leaving them silhouetted on the background. There was about 20 seconds of silence, and they stood there, not knowing what they were thinking. "Did they hate it?" thought Ahiru, not wishing to verbalize it, or even whisper it, knowing that the ear mic was able to pick up the minutest sounds. Suddenly, the place erupted in thunderous applause. It went on for a good minute, and it seemed like it wanted to go on. Billy looked out into the audience for Mr. Katt, who gave them the indication that they should do the encore. The two girls went back and simplified their outfits, (for that is how they were designed in case this happened,) as Billy stalled. He said to the maestro, "Encore!" and said to the audience, "Okay, and for a final number, here is a song from the hit musical _Rent_."

At this, they went into the number entitled "Seasons of Love." What surprised everyone was the fact that the six danced and sung at the same time. Normally, tradition states that there is no talking in ballet. However, the Pas De Six had already shown that they could break tradition and get away with it. The audience began to thunder again, and it seemed like they would not stop. Thus, the emcee came out, knowing how to gain the audience's attention with a few good jokes, and allow them to leave so the next act could take the stage.

Downstairs, in the receiving room, there was one big combination of a group hug, cheering, and bouncing up and down. If someone had not known that this was a celebration, one would have thought it a mosh pit. "There's little that feels like this!" Billy shouted.

"I wish this feeling would never go away! Whee!" Ahiru gleefully added.

Fakir pulled out some bottles of ginger ale, and said, "We cannot have beer, so this will have to do," and handed them out. They busted open the caps and Mytho said, "To the Pas De Six: to a great future and long life!"

They all tapped the bottles together, took a swig, and flopped down. Billy, to be cute, took his bottle, and tapped it directly over the mouth of her bottle, causing it to fizz over the top. She leapt up as it spilled over onto her a bit, and she plugged the top into her mouth. Everyone laughed as Ahiru said, "Why you…!" and whipped off her headband and started hitting Billy with it. Fakir then said, "Don't worry _liepshun_, there is more!"

She then curled up again next to Billy, but not before getting a knuckle into his rib. They then began to chat about what they could do next, and just what the future would be. Billy said that he knew someone he could trust in the business that would not do that about which Mr. Katt had warned. "He's a close friend of mine," said Billy, "and he can be trusted."

"Who is this, Billy?" asked Mary.

"Someone by the name of Mr. Tawny," said Billy, "and I think he and Mr. Katt would get along."

"Isn't that the one that you said was a tiger and like Mr. Katt in the same way?" asked Ahiru.

"Yes," answered Billy, "and whatever made Mr. Tawny the way he is has to be what caused Mr. Katt, I'm sure."  
"What do you have in mind?" Rue asked.

"I'm thinking that we can take this act on tour this summer," said Billy.

"Whoa," said Rue, "This is moving a bit too fast, isn't it?"

"Hey, we gotta strike while the iron is hot," said Billy, "If this is the way that this town and Fawcett City reacts to us, we may have something more than we realize."

"But daddy's not gonna want to have me gone all summer too," said Ahiru, worried about what this would do.

"I'm not talking all summer," said Billy, "Maybe just one half of it. That way, we can spend time with our families and still get our feet in the door. Remember: when opportunity knocks…"

Everyone then chimed in to finish the sentence, saying, "…you'd better be at home!"

"What happens after that?" asked Rue, "What if the three of us that are graduating go on to college or something?"

"Hmm," though Billy, "That is a tough one. Unless we could own our own theater, I guess that could make it tough. I guess we can deal with that when the time comes. Whatever the case, I don't think we should split this up if there is even the slightest chance that this could be something big. Besides, there is the other reason why we are banded together."

He then gave them a knowing look, and then they realized that staying together was important, and the act could be a good cover for them. They had to figure it out at some point. Billy said, "Well, who cares about that right, now. Was that awesome, or what?"

They all began to cheer anew, and had not realized that the show was nearing a close. "Uh oh," said Rue, "We need to get upstairs for the finale."

With that, they all finished their drinks, and made their way upstairs for the grand finale.

After the show, there was a general gathering of the acts upstairs for an after-show get together. This was important, because, normally, alumni who had come in for the alumni show the next night had a chance to mingle with the students to give advice, and maybe even network some if they were close to graduation. This was held in the lobby, and in the seats. The Pas De Six finally emerged in civilian clothes, and they were wearing their finest. For Ahiru, this was her first ball gown, and she felt more beautiful than ever. She wore a drop shoulder white gown that bowed out into a bell-like skirt, held out with plenty of petticoats. Mary wore a similar light blue gown, while Rue went more for the sheath style gown, and straight black satin. The boys all had tuxedoes on, and they all stuck together as a group, each escorting their respective beaus. Sasha was there, and he was the first to meet them. "You six were fantastic!" he gushed, "I never thought I would see the day where someone could put voice with ballet like that!"

The six were genuinely shamefaced at the compliment, and thanked him graciously for the high compliment. "So," he asked, "How are you developing this act?"

They looked askance at this, and he added, "What I mean is, will this be the format, or is there more to be seen?"

"It's still in the early stages," said Ahiru, who surprised everyone by her boldness to speak for the group, "but I think we are going to have fun finding out how far this could go."

"And that is the key," he responded, "because, if you do not enjoy what you are doing, it become drudgery, and you have come off the track somewhere along the line."

At about this time, Mr. Katt approached, followed by alumni who had gone on to fame or success in ballet, Broadway, and suck like, who wanted to meet this sextet. They were all intrigued at them, all knowing a good thing when they saw it. Then one of them said, "We could use you six tomorrow night. Gustaph: do you mind of we borrow your kids and work the snot out of them tomorrow?"

"By all means!" he responded.

At this, they told them, "Be here tomorrow at 9 o'clock sharp! Being late in show business can almost guarantee never being able to find work, so get in the habit of being prompt!"

Ahiru cringed at this. The only reason why that had not been a problem that year was because she and the others practiced Tai Chi, warm-ups, and the act a hour before class started, so she was never late. However, this was different, and she was scared that she might mess it up again. Billy could not help but detect the slight hint of dread on her face, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"You know my past habits of being late, right?" she asked.

"Hey, you're going to be there tomorrow at 7, right?" he reminded.

"Oh yeah," she said, "I forgot. I guess we can just go from there."

"Get into regular habits, and this ceases to be a problem," said Billy.

"Well, with that business done," said Sasha, "Let's have some fun!"

With that, they all went about to schmooze with the rest of the group, networking as best they could.

When they reached the dance room, they were surprised to see Sasha waiting for them. "Gustaph let me know that you have an interesting way of warming up," he said, "And I would like to participate, if that is okay."

"We'd love it!" Billy exclaimed, "Just stand in front of us, and mirror us. Let the music help you focus."

With that, they commenced the Thursday routine. What took them all by surprise was how quickly he was picking up on the form. Although three of them knew that they were quite good as dancers, they realized that they still had much to learn. His professionalism and knack for the dance by this stage of the game was so vast, that it seemed to be instinctive for him to gain new forms. He was not only good at ballet, but he was also very good at the modern and jazz forms as well. He was an accomplished all-around dancer, and it showed. For him, this was just a new form of dance to learn and enjoy. After they were done, he said, "Thank you. That was very relaxing, and yet refreshing as well. I feel more alert and focused. No wonder Gustaph loves it so much."

"Well," said Billy, "I hope that you can find other instructors that can teach you more. It really helps. Oh, and I think we still have time for breakfast before we head to the theater."

"That sounds excellent," said Sasha, "A good fill for energy, and then we get to grind you into the ground!"

He then followed that with an evil cackle and smile, as he rubbed his hands together. Of course, they all laughed, knowing that it was going to be a hard day, (having to prepare a show in one day,) but a fun day as well.

By 9 o'clock, the alumni that were going to participate, as well as the guest celebrities, were all gathered, kicking around ideas for the show. Everyone, including the orchestra, (who were also made up of alumni,) was contributing, as their music was just as important a contribution as what would be happening on the stage. When the six arrived with Gustaph and Sasha, everyone began to applaud. The six were grateful, but a bit confused, and genuinely embarrassed. Ahiru broke the ice by saying, "Thank you for the applause, but please forgive me if I ask why you are doing this."

One of the dancers said, "Honey, when we see something like you guys come along, that gives us dancers all hope that ballet will never be lost."

Another chimed in, and said, "You are a shot in the arm, and a breath of fresh air. You six have something that cannot be lost, and we want to help you all we can."

A third said, "We're going to teach you six a few things that you may not yet know that is going to help you quite a bit. We're going to work you hard, but we think you're going to have fun as well."

Rue then said, "Please forgive me, but isn't this _your_ show?"

"And quite right you are," said the maestro, "but you are the key to the theme that we have been kicking around, and yours will be just a supporting role, but a very important one."

"Some of you will be separated for one number or another to work with the alumni," said Mr. Katt, "but you will have a few numbers together: two in the show, and one in the grand finale."

"Alright, victims…uh…I mean, volunteers," joked the one acting as the director, "Step on up, and let's get to work."

For the rest of the day, they had them all try different things, combinations, songs, sketches, and so forth, seeing what they had, and what the alumni could use. The alumni were impressed on how quickly the kids were taking up on the work, and how much they thrived in hard work. The six were impressed on how professional these people were. They only had the better part of a day to put a variety show together, and yet, what normally took weeks for them to put together, these people were putting together in one day as if they had been practicing for weeks. By 4 o'clock, they had the show worked out. At first, the alumni worried about how well the kids would retain their parts, considering that they had not been dealing in the business nearly as long as they had. However, they did try to use things that they were familiar with already so they knew it would not be all that bad. What they were not aware of was the ability to improvise that these kids possessed, so they need not have worried. They were going to break at 5 o'clock to prepare for the show, but the alumni asked the kids for something. One of them said, "I heard that, last night, you kids caused quite a stir before you went on stage: something about a strange dance you did to pep yourselves up."

They looked at each other, a bit embarrassed; knowing that they had done it in front of everyone else, but it was something they thought was going to stay below stage. "Yes," said Billy, "It was the haka."

"The haka!" said one of them with the Kiwi accent, "Blimey! I didn't know you yanks knew anything about that! Then let's do that, and teach these guys how to do it. Hey, this'll get your blood goin' as well. Let's teach them how."

For the rest of that hour, they leaned the haka, and were ready to go for that evening. The kids were told to bring their school uniforms as well, because that would be a key to the opening.

Right before they went on, the whole cast and orchestra performed the haka, and it was loud enough to be heard faintly through the pit floor. No one knew what was going on, and they found it odd. However, they just shrugged their shoulder, thinking it was something for the show. Meanwhile, they were all fired up for the show, and the orchestra took their place. They played the overture and the emcee cam out to introduce the show. "Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and students of Kinkan High."

The audience applauded, and then hushed as the emcee continued, "Tonight, we have a special treat, as this year's alumni variety show is including, for the first time in a long time, current students in its show, to help present the theme to this years show: From Yesterday to Today's Tomorrow!"

The curtain opened to some of the actors and dancers acting as if they were walking around the campus and reminiscing about their days in the school. They talked of old times, fun times, and mentioned some of the great shows of the past. However, they also spoke of how they feared that the modern era of entertainment on video and on the internet was going to kill the art of live entertainment. They knew that the youth at this school understood the importance of what was going on at the school, but they also feared that these poor kids were going to be in the minority. They did not know how this could survive. At that point, the six came on, took seats on the hill set in the scenery, and began to mess around on their instruments. Then, they broke into a song entitled "The Irish Rover," and sang it with all the relish that it deserved. The alumni stopped dead in its tracks as they heard the music. They turned around, quite amazed at what they were seeing and hearing. When they had finished, Billy piped up and said, "Ahiru, do the dance to the one you've been working on."

With that, she stepped down off the knoll, and started her variation to "Across the Universe." The audience now recognized the six that were on the stage, and then acknowledged who it was. They could not believe it! At first, some of the students were angry, because the six were getting all the attention, and they felt that the six must have felt themselves more important than everyone else. Then, they had to stifle that, because they had to admit that they put much into extra practice, and that was something they themselves should have been doing. Therefore, they could not hold a grudge. From there, the alumni approached the six, and complimented them on their talent. They also asked why they were banded together, and the six explained that they wanted to do something new and fresh to help the world see that ballet, and the live arts were not dead. This is when the different acts commenced, seeming to flow from one remembrance of the past to another, some of them using the six here and there, where it would be sensible to use them. It turned out to be an incredible revue of past hit shows at the school, and a fond remembrance to times of triumph that helped to propel many of them to the fame they now held. One thing that was reoccurring was the alumni's own look into the future in that past time, and how they dreamed of a brighter future. Towards the end of the show, it returned to the school scene, and the alumni were now saying that they were quite encouraged to see that the future was actually bright. They also said for them to keep up the hard work, and for them to do all they could to keep the art alive. Mytho then said, "Oh, you mean like this?"

That was the cue for the finale, and the six then broke into a song and dance to "I Sing the Body Electric," as they shed off their school uniforms, and revealed flashy looking silvery dance outfits underneath, as they commenced with the number. When that was finished, they broke into "This Will Be a Brand New Day," from the musical, _The Wiz._ This is when everyone came on and performed. The kids were exhausted after the long week, but this moment in the alumni show made it all worth it: there was a future for them, and there were plenty of people around that wanted to see them achieve their dreams.

That Friday, they spent the day packing to return home for the Christmas break, but before they left, they all promised to go caroling with some of those in the vocal school: one last fling before going home. That, in itself, was a moment to cherish. The six felt warmness and comfort with one another they had never felt. They felt more like a family than ever before. Even Fakir seemed to melt with the warmth, now showing quite open and clear affection for Mary. Fakir had been worried about this, but he now realized that Billy felt this was the best thing that could have happened to the two of them. This put Fakir at ease, and they saw a side of him that he rarely displayed publicly. However, no one outside the six dare say anything, because they were not sure how long this would last, especially when they were certain that he could go from zero to monster in less than two seconds if he really wanted. In a sense, as they saying goes, they hated to spoil the mood! The next day, they were all at the airport. The boys were heading back to Germany, and the girls were heading back to Japan. It was a bittersweet goodbye, but not as bad as it could have been, for they would all be back for the next semester. They all wished each other a merry Christmas, and then Billy said, "Me and sis will pop by at some point. We'll just use the communicators and make sure it is a good time for a visit."

They all looked at them, and they were about to ask how that would happen, and then they Batsons gave them a knowing look. Suddenly, they felt silly for even thinking the question! "Yes, folks, there are advantages to being superheroes," whispered Billy. They all laughed, and said their final goodbyes. "See you in a few," he said to her. Ahiru then got a dreamy look in her eyes as she smiled, and then pulled him down to herself. She then planted a big, fat, tender, adult kind of kiss that would send most people out of this world. When she finished, she smiled, and said, "Merry Christmas, Rubber Ducky."

"Merry Christmas, Baby Duck," said Billy, giving her one last peck on the forehead before leaving. Ahiru then practically floated to the plane, as Billy half walked, half danced his way out of the airport with Mary on his arm, as he sung the song _That's Amore._


	16. Chapter 16

**XVI**

About one hour into their flight, Ahiru's communicator went off, which she found unusual. "Now, how am I going to respond to something now?" she thought. However, when she fished it out, it was Billy on the other end. "Billy, I can't talk on this during the flight," she snapped.

"Hey, it's okay," he quickly answered, "It's a JLA frequency: it won't interfere with the cockpit."

"Couldn't stand to be without me for even an hour?" she joked. Rue overheard the talking, and said, "Who is that?"

"It's Billy," she said.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" she said, "That boy is infatuated with you!"

"I heard that!" Billy shouted, hoping that Rue heard it. She had to stifle a laugh. A stewardess came by, and the covered the phone, knowing that she would not be able to tell the difference between her device and an actual cell phone. Once she had gone by, Ahiru said, "So, why are you calling," and then she whispered, "and make it quick: the attendants are going to get suspicious."

"Sorry," he said, "I'll make it quick. One, I forgot to ask you what day would be good to visit, and two, I have an invite I received from the JLA for the Christmas party, and all of the six are invited."

"One, I'll get back to you, because I have to prepare daddy for you. Remember: he's a colonel in the Army, so he is going to be suspicious of any boy talking to 'his little girl.' Two, what day is the party?"

"It's on the 23rd, at the main JLA headquarters. There is no organized gift giving, but you can bring them for whomever you want. Oh, and bring your instruments: there's going to be caroling. Mary is telling Fakir right now. We have to come as our alter egos, by the way. Now you'll get to meet the league."

"Good," said Ahiru, "I'll tell Rue, and I'll call you with when to come. Kiss, kiss."

"Love ya, Baby Duck," and with that, he hung up.

"What was that all about?" asked Rue.

"It seems that our alter egos have been invited to a Christmas party at JLA main headquarters," she answered, "There's no organized gift giving, but you can bring them if you want for whomever, and it's on the 23rd."

"It sounds good," said Rue, "However, I have to see if that is clear, and then we have to find some kind of cover for it."

"Well, we'll figure it out," answered Ahiru, "Oh, and bring your concertina, because there is going to be caroling. I guess they need music."

"It sounds like fun," she said, "I just hope that we can make it."

Being experienced overseas travelers, they made sure to go to sleep at about the time that they would normally, so that when they land, they would be rested, and be able to beat jet lag. They would actually be getting back a whole day, in a sense, so this would be awkward, but they were used to it. They closed the shade, and curled up. Before Ahiru did, however, she pulled out the plush toy duck, and curled up with it as she did. She tried to conceal this from Rue, but she could not. Rue smiled, and said teasingly, "Aren't you a little old for that?"

Ahiru blushed, but said, "It makes me think of Billy."

Rue had to ask, "So, what do you think is going to happen with that?"

"I don't know," she said, "He's the first real boyfriend I've ever had. It seems I'm the first real girlfriend he's ever had!"

"Well, you know," pondered Rue, "from what I understand, sometimes, the best relationships have come from something like this."

"What do you mean?" Ahiru asked.

Rue put her arm around her, pulled her to her side, and said, "Well, the two of you seem to have something special."

"I guess," said Ahiru.

"Trust me," Rue interjected, "you do have something special. You two have many things that you both love that bind you together, as well as your 'alter egos.' You two have been through some hard times already as heroes, and you have even survived his bad side, and even helped him overcome it. I know that you two are young, but you two are also good friends as well as what you are, and friendship in a relationship helps overcome a lot of bumps. Because you are friends like this, as well as boyfriend/girlfriend, this can grow into something sweet. You wouldn't need to date anyone else; because I think that, they would pale in comparison to what you have now. I guess the bottom line is that you have a keeper on your line: don't let him go!"

Ahiru was listening, but was growing drowsier by the minute. She let out a big yawn, and acknowledged all that Rue had said, and caused Rue to yawn herself, as she was becoming drowsy as well. She kept mumbling on about relationships, but more incoherently now, which would not have mattered anyway, because Ahiru had already fallen asleep on her breast. This was something that she had not noticed, because she soon drifted off herself. Later on, without even realizing it, they were asleep, hugging each other, with the duck wedged between them, both with contented smiles on their faces, each dreaming about their respective beaus.

Rue was the first to wake up when the announcement was made for people to return to their seats and prepare for the approach and landing sequence. It was then she first noticed the postures of the two of them. She smiled at the sight, realizing now just how much she loved her "kid sister." Rue stroked her hair and gently awoke her to tell her that they were almost there. Ahiru slowly stirred, and then suddenly realized where she was. She started to go into one of her rants, but not having enough energy to spring away. However, Rue put a finger on her lips and said, "Shh, its okay. I don't mind. But you do need to sit up and buckle in."

Ahiru, more alert now, decided to get cute by putting a forefinger in between her teeth, putting the 'innocent little girl' face and saying, "Okay, mommy."

Rue grinned, but furrowed her brow as Ahiru sat up, and lightly slugged her arm as she said, "Alright, knock it off…smart aleck!"

The plane landed, and both of the girls' parents had come to greet them. They recognized Rue as she came off the plane, but the Arimas almost did not even recognize their own daughter as she emerged behind Rue. Ahiru saw Col. Arima, and shouted, "Daddy!" as she ran up and leapt into his arms. "Whoa," he said, quite surprised, "Is this young woman my own daughter?"

"Of course, papa!" she said, reflecting the Italian heritage that she held.

"Oh, but my little bambino has grown," he said, looking affectionately into her eyes. Ahiru then hugged her mother in a big bear hug, and said, "I missed you."

"Our little duck is becoming quite the swan," said her mother. This shook Ahiru for a brief second and she thought, "If she only knew!"

Rue and her parents were going through a similar thing—Japanese style—but not as huggy. She was so close to being an adult now that it was more of a mature greeting, in a sense. "_Konichiua_, Ahiru-san," said Mr. Kuroah.

"_Ohio Konichiua_, Kuroha-sempi," said Ahiru, and she bowed deeply.

"Ah, it is good to see that you have not forgotten good manners while away," he complimented, to which Ahiru said, "_Domo Origato_," and she bowed again. (Because she was raised in Japan, she knew the culture well, and spoke the language fluently, as well as spoke Italian, thanks to her father.) "Any jet lag?" asked Col. Arima.

"No, papa," she said, "but we are hungry!"

"Then that's something we shall fix, Baby Duck," said her mother. At that, she turned red. Her mother was confused at this, considering that this had been a pet name for Ahiru for years. "Why are you blushing," she asked.

Ahiru looked at the duck, now realizing that she had still been holding it for the first time. She answered, "Well, there's someone at school that calls me that."

"Oh really?" her mother said brightly, and in a teasing manner, "Anyone special?"

"Oh, mama," she said, embarrassed, "Can I tell you while we eat?"

Her mother laughed, and said, "Of course: let's eat!"

As they ate, Ahiru's mother wanted to know more about this "special" person, and about what she was holding. "So, who is this person?" she asked.

"I thought I mentioned him in my letters," Ahiru answered.

"Well, you haven't said much," Said Col. Arima, "and that's what worries me."

"Nothing is going on," said Rue, "Don't worry, Arima-sempi, I've been keeping an eye on her."

"Like a mother hen!" Ahiru retorted.

"And she has been doing exactly what we've asked of her," said Col. Arima.

"Daddy!" Ahiru protested.

"It's okay, honey," said Mrs. Arima, "I thought it was a parent's job to worry!"

"I guess," Ahiru sulked.

"I see the duck there," said Mr. Kuroha, "Where did you get that."

"That boy," she answered, "Billy Batson."

"Well, that was sweet of him," said her mother, "What was the occasion?"

"He thought he'd been acting the wrong way around me, and gave me this to say that he was sorry," Ahiru answered, "amongst other things."

"What other things," her father asked, almost accusatively.

"I don't think that would be an issue," said Mr. Kuroha, "considering that he sounds like he has much in the way of honor: treats her kindly, apologizes for doing wrong, gets her gifts without asking anything in return."

Col. Arima had to admit to himself that he did not seem like a bad boy, but he was concerned about his daughter being only 13 years old, (although her birthday came the next month.) "Well," he said, "just remember that he is still a boy, and you have to be careful. Be sure that he isn't trying to use you for his own ends, and that he doesn't take from you for his own purposes, in that he doesn't try to lord over you, generally, that he does not take advantage of you…"

"Daddy, he's rich," she interrupted.

"…and you have my permission to marry him," he finished. This brought a huge laugh from the table. However, Mr. Kuroha wanted to know more. "What do you mean by 'rich'?" he asked.

"Well, I just said he got me other things," she answered, "Well, not only did he practically get me a whole new wardrobe; he even broke me of my old dressing habits."

"Is that why you are wearing that beautiful dress," her mother asked.

"I have to admit," She said, "I never really wore dresses, (except for the school uniform,) because I never thought about it. However…well…I don't know: I guess he thought I'd look good in them."

"And that's what made the difference," asked Mrs. Arima.

"Well, that," she answered, "and Rue, Mai, Yuma, and Mary all…what did you guys call it…dolled me up right before our first dance."

"Dolled you up," asked her father, "What do you mean?"

"We set up a makeshift spa in her room," said Rue, "We got her some bath salts, worked on her hair, other 'girl" things.'"

"I recognize the other names," said Mrs. Arima, "but who is Mary?"

"Ah, I forgot," said Rue, "She's been hanging around us so long; I forgot she was a stranger to you. Mary Batson is Billy's brother. It was her idea. She's been giving, well, lessons, I guess you could call it, to Billy on being a gentleman, and to Mai about being more ladylike."

"She sounds like a nice girl," said Mrs. Arima.

"Yeah," said Ahiru, "and she only found her brother this year."

"Only this year?" she asked, "What is that all about?"

"Okay," said Ahiru, "I didn't want to go into a long explanation, but here it goes."

With that, she told the whole story up to that point from beginning to end, (with obvious omissions,) and now the table was silent. "Sounds like you have had quite a semester," said her father.

"Not only that," she added, "but the six of us have formed a team of performers: the Pas De Six."

"I hope it hasn't been interfering with your studies," her father exhorted.

"Not at all," said Rue, "In fact, Mr. Katt has been helping us greatly."

"Who's that?" they asked.

"He's the main instructor at Kinkan," said Rue.

"I don't get it," asked Col. Arima, "Would not he be concerned about making sure that you have time for your studies?"

"Well, I think there is something you do not understand about art schools, Arima-sempi," Rue said, "In an art school, one does what one can to enhance their art. If one can get to the point where they make the advanced placement class, they do not have to spend as much time in the dance room as the others, although the lessons intensify to match. This leaves more time for pursuing other kinds of art if one wishes, because, the more one can do, the better chance one has in the business. When something like what we have forms, this enhances the chance to hone our skills, and quicker, because we are able to spend more time on it in our spare time, which will help us advance faster. The school has no problem with us wanting to advance as long as it does not interfere with the rest of school. Since Mr. Katt has been helping us, he has been making sure that this balance takes place. Moreover, they also encourage this, because, they have no problem if a student has the ability to make it into the business while still in school. If that were to happen, then advance classes, or advanced placement is not far away. Besides, if one can get ones foot in the door before graduation, then so much the better. Mr. Katt likes what he sees, and thinks we have a chance."

Ahiru added, "And Billy has much to do with this."

"How so?" asked her father.

"He taught us to sing, play at least one instrument, he's done a lot," said Ahiru.

"Like what?" asked her mother.

"Well, he taught all that," she answered, "and he taught me to have more confidence in myself, to believe in myself, that I can be beautiful, helped cut down on my duck-like rants, taught me Tai Chi…"

"He taught you that?" said Mr. Kuroha.

"He felt that a girl needs to know how to defend herself against creeps," she answered.

"Ah, now I know the boy has honor," said Mr. Kuroha, "because he has had every opportunity to take advantage of you, did not take it, and even taught you something that, if he had bad intentions, he never would have shown you! Col. Arima, you have nothing about which to worry. If they were both Japanese, I would have betrothed them by now!"

This set him at ease, because he knew that Rue's father had a good head on his shoulder, and he had a keen eye for people. "Well, since all this has been going on," said Col. Arima, "There is something I was going to tell you, but now I have to rethink it."

"What's that?" asked Ahiru.

"Well, we were thinking," said Mrs. Arima, "that you have been so far away from us that we have found and considered an art school here in Tokyo."

"What!" exclaimed Ahiru.

"Hold on," her father said calmingly, "that is not yet final. Besides, after what you have told me, I don't know now if that would be the right thing."

"You see, honey," continued her mother, "we miss you so, and we would rather our daughter be close to us, close to home. However, it seems that we just might be stepping on your dreams, and shattering them. This makes a decision like this difficult. Thus, it is not final. We have to talk it over."

That put Ahiru at ease, to some extent, but that did not stop her from worrying. She did say, "Please reconsider, mama, papa, there is more than just Billy at stake here. If you could only meet him."

Rue then nudged her, and said, "Ah, I think you need to mention his…you know…"

Ahiru brightened, and said, "Yeah, that's right! Billy may actually make it here for a visit!"

"Wait a minute!" said her father, "How is he going to do that?"

Rue jumped in with a saving comment, and said, "Remember: he has money. He can get here."

"What about his uncle: would not he have a say?" said Mrs. Arima.

"Believe me, his uncle would have no problem," assured Rue.

"Which reminds me," added Ahiru, "what would be the best day for a visit?"

Col. Arima pulled out his day timer, and said, "It looks like the 22nd looks good."

"Great," she said, "Because me and Rue, in relation to that, have plans on that day."

"All three of you?" asked Mrs. Arima.

"It's a little get together for the team," Rue said, "at least, the ones that can be there."

"Well, I guess it's alright," said Mrs. Arima, "considering he's coming all this way. Boy, he must really like you, honey."

"You don't know that half of it," Ahiru said knowingly.

Another thing that was motivating this was the fact that, if they did decide not to send her back, then this would be a great farewell gift, although quite bittersweet. It would be hard on her, but she would find other boys. She was young, after all, and she had time. However, Mrs. Arima also knew that boys like Billy were hard to find, and could she ever find another like him?

Later that evening, Ahiru waited until the right time to call Billy and tell him all that had happened. She also mentioned what her parents had been considering. He said, "No problem: I can fix that. In fact, I even had put on DVD our performances and shows. We can watch our variety show acts, and give them the two ballets as a gift to watch later. Not only will they know that all is well, you can use them as bargaining tools: they can look at you anytime they want because they have all your shows."

"I hope so," said Ahiru, "I don't want to lose you…I mean this…I mean…well, you know what I mean…I think you do…I hope you do…I mean…"

Billy curled up his thumb and forefinger together while forming a horn with the rest of his fingers, and put that to his mouth, while cupping his other hand over that, making duck calls. "…well, I'm the only mind reader here…well, that is when I can contact…ugh! I hate when you do that," she said, catching the clue he was giving.

"I'm gonna break you of that," he said, "just give me time!"

She sighed, and said, "Just know that this, and the Christmas party, is in the bag."

"I'll try to time everything so that it will all time out. The party is set to start a Greenwich Mean Time, considering where the party will be held. This means that we may have to cut out early."

"How early?" she asked.

"I'd say about 10 hours early," he answered.

"What!" she exclaimed.

"Don't worry," he said, "We'll leave that afternoon. I'll just come and get you at your window, as you know who. Just catch a nap on the transport, because it will take a few to get there, and you'll be okay."

"That reminds me," she said, "you haven't told me where it is yet."

"I told you," said Billy, "It's a surprise!"

"Call me before you come," she said, "Bye-bye, and quack, quack."

They both laughed, and went their ways. The next morning, she got up at 6:30, and put on what Billy told her was how he pictured Princess Tutu if she were wearing training clothes. She brought out the CD that Billy gave her for practicing, and she commenced to do that day's Tai Chi training. After about a half hour of that, she switched to practicing at least the basics, as Mr. Katt had taught, to make sure that she did not become rusty while away. She placed all her efforts on her dance, and did all she could to channel the White Swan in her dance. What she did not realize was that her mother had been watching her the whole time. She had already been up, fixing breakfast for her husband, and heard this going on in the living room, so she went to investigate. She was mesmerized by the dance that she saw. The last time she saw her dance was when she was warming up like this before she left, and she was still a bit awkward and clumsy. She knew her daughter had tried hard to improve over the summer, but she was not sure that she had succeeded. In fact, she had not seemed like she had advanced at all. This was one factor in why the pulling out of the school had come up at all: her parents were not even sure if she would ever have what it took to become the prima she always wanted to be. They were even considering telling her that she may want to try something else in the arts, or pursue another career. They were going to sit her down, and try to explain lovingly the realities of things as best they could. However, seeing this, all that went right out the window. She was wearing toe shoes, had a joyous look on her face, and yet a concentrated one at that, holding perfect form in her stretching, drills, and basic maneuvers. Her poise and flexibility were quite good, and had increased greatly since the last time they were together. It even made her look more mature than her years. Even what she was wearing put her mother in awe. She never wore the pinks and whites like this before, much less the silk skirt. It made her look more like a woman than ever before. On the one hand, she felt that she was missing watching her daughter grow up, (which was another motivating factor in why they considered the move,) on the other, it almost seemed that she was not missing anything at all. Her daughter finished her last repetition, bringing her right leg down perfectly straight, coming to her points, and coming down in the fifth position. She curtsied, as if she was performing, and came up, taking a deep breath, and then letting it out contently, as she grinned. She had been so engrossed in her dancing, (as she always had,) that she had no idea that she indeed had an audience of sorts. When she finished, she had the sense that someone had been watching her, and looked over to see her mother, leaning against the doorjamb, with her right arm stretched out straight above her head against the jamb, her head leaning on her arm, her left arm across her chest, touching the jamb. She was smiling contentedly, wiping away a tear or two. "Mom," she said, "why are you crying?"

"Honey, you are so beautiful!" she answered.

Ahiru smiled, trying not to break out in tears herself, and ran up to her mother, catching her in a big bear hug. "Ready for breakfast," her mother asked.

"I'm starving," she giggled.

"It almost seemed like you were not yourself," said her mother.

"What do you mean?" Ahiru asked.

"While you did your things," she said, "it almost seemed like you were listening to someone speak, and actually help you from one move to another. Who were you channeling?"

"Um…" said Ahiru, not knowing what to answer, "Well, there is this one woman I think about when I dance."

"Oh?" mother asked, "Who is that?"

Now she was stuck. She had to say something, but what? She then thought about how Billy dealt with Captain Marvel. He always acted as if Marvel was a separate entity, so she figured she would give that a try. She said, "Well…there is…um…a super heroine—yeah—that lives in Kinkantown, and she's also a prima ballerina. She's real good!"

"What's her name?" her mother asked, going about her business, not even looking up.

"Well, they call her the White Swan, but I believe her actual name is Princess Tutu," she answered.

"That sounds fitting for a ballerina," her mother answered, "What is she like?"

This was getting bad. She was getting the third degree about her alter ego, and she was not very good at thinking on her feet when she was not her. Ahiru kept trying to roll with the punches. She said, "Let's see…she's graceful, kind, strong and swift, agile, very, very wise, she can control plants, she can make mind links in order to counsel, she's a great counselor, (she'd rather fight than counsel,) but she can fight if she is pushed."

"Do you know her?" her mother asked, as if this question was not out of the ordinary.

"Um…she's given me counsel before," said Ahiru, not knowing what else to say, and then said, "and she really inspired—well, still inspires—me."

"Well, it looks like she left a bit of her in you," her mother said. Ahiru almost choked on her juice, and said, "You could say that."

"Oh, by the way, Rue and Mrs. Kuroha are coming over soon," said her mother, "We're hitting the market for a bit of Christmas shopping, and to hear the Korean Children's Choir sing. Maybe you can get your Billy something while we're there."

"Sounds good to me," said Ahiru, as she finished her last bites of breakfast. Her mother then said, "So, I'd hit the shower as soon as you can, so we can be ready to go."

"Okay: I'm on it," she said, and excused herself. "Whew," she thought, "That was close!"

Another thing she was chewing on was their trying to decide on her fate. It seemed that they were not going to pull her out, but the fact that they were still considering it at all hung over her head like the sword of Damocles. Moreover, what was she going to get her Rubber Duckie? What do you get for the boy who has everything?

The festivities in the market certainly helped to get Ahiru's mind off things. It was amazing how Japan got into Christmas, considering that they had no clue about Christmas until the west introduced it to them. They adopted it for their own, and the Japanese typically know December 25 as Santa Day. The concept of a day where charity and giving gifts for no other reason than that one cares for another, as well as a day when being with friends and family sat as the special focus of things sat well with the Japanese, and they adopted it for their own. Not only do they do this, but also in typical Japanese fashion, they throw their whole heart and effort into the holiday. The music, the smells, and festive mood were enough to bring a smile to any Scrooge who dared to step into that realm. The three of them went about their shopping, girl talk, and giggling like little school girls. Ahiru almost felt like Mai and Yuma were there with her. Suddenly, Ahiru remembered that there was a day that Billy saw the three of them walking together as he walked with Fakir and Mytho, and he suddenly started singing in a chipmunk falsetto, "_Three little maids from school are we; filled to the brim with girlish glee…_" from _The Mikado_. It did not help that the other two started to join him. Then Mytho looked at them and said, "Hello Suki, Yaki, and Yum-Yum."

"All right," said Ahiru, "cut the comedy," but they all had to giggle. Then Yuma, not to be out done, said, "Yes, gentlemen, that song and operetta is from England, you know, I know it, and all three of you are off key!"

Fakir then joked, "I would cinch that nose down some before you drown the next time it rains."

She hit him with her book bag, but he just laughed it off, which caused Yuma then to laugh, and they all went their ways. Ahiru was now inspired, and started to sing, "_Four little maids from school are we…_" to which Rue joined in, and sang, "…_filled to the brim with girlish glee…_" to which the two mothers began to join in, and then they all got a great big belly laugh. Ahiru then came to a record store, and saw some CD's of Virgil Fox, and two CD's that had Bach's "greatest hits." She knew about his love for these things, she got those, as well as a full set of the Brandenburg Concertos as done by the Academy at St. Martin's in the Fields. Rue also suggested that they look at some nice sports jackets and ties, considering that she never really saw Billy wearing much in the way of formal or semi-formal wear. Ahiru was a bit worried about the price, but Rue said she would help with that. Then she saw something she just had to get for him. She found an Ernie who was wearing a bathrobe, with a towel over his shoulder, a back brush in the left hand, and a rubber duck in the right hand. On the hand with the duck, she saw a patch that said, "Press here."

She did, and it began to sing the Rubber Ducky song. That sold it: she just had to get this. When her mother asked why, she explained, and both mothers laughed, and said that it would be the sweetest thing, considering that they recalled their own youth, and how that they would have done the same thing. They asked why she called him Rubber Duckie, and she explained. She also said that there should be no shame in being associated with a duck. Mrs. Kuroha asked, "And why would that be?"

"He told me that the duck is really a noble bird," she answered, "Have you ever seen a flock of ducks fly in formation? They are so smart about how they do it, and they are very organized about it. Also, they stick up for each other when one is in trouble."

"Is that all?" said her mother.

"Well, there is something that he said his father had once told him," she answered, "and that is we all need to learn an example from the duck. Watch how a duck swims: we need to stay cool, calm, and collected on top, while paddling like the Devil underneath!"

They all laughed at this, and then went to go see the choir.

However, when they arrived at the stage, there was a big commotion going on. When they asked what the matter was, it was explained that the entire choir had been kidnapped. A ransom note was left behind, and all the indications were that a group that was essentially the Japanese Mafia—the Yakuzai—had done the job, and demanded money: 30,000,000 yen. There would be more instructions to follow. Rue asked how long ago this had happened, and she was told about 10 minutes prior. This meant that, somehow, they slipped in unnoticed, hustled all the children off, and vanished before anyone realized what had happened. The question of the day was this: how did they get in and out in broad daylight, and not be noticed? Rue pulled Ahiru aside and said, "This is our territory: its time to act!"

"How do we slip out?" asked Ahiru.

"Just leave that to me," she answered. She then told their mothers, "There was something else that she and I wanted to check out. We'll see you back at Ahiru's place."

"Really, I think we need to go," said Mrs. Arima, "I'm not sure it would be safe for the two of you to be alone."

"It's okay," she answered, "It will be somewhere on the post. We'll be okay."

"Well, it's against our better judgment, but don't stay out too long," said Mrs. Arima, knowing that Rue was a big girl, and she could take care of herself. However, the girls slipped off to an alley, and transformed. The first thing they needed to do was to get some clues. They snuck their way back to the tent where the children were supposed to be getting ready, and where they were to wait until they were to sing. The police were shocked to see two ballerinas show up in the area, and immediately tried to usher them out of the investigation zone. "It's okay," Claire told them, "we're on Justice League duty."

"Justice League?" asked the detective, "You mean the Justice League of America? What are you doing here?"

"We're on holiday, darling," she said, "and we heard there was a problem. We wanted to see if we could help. What have you discovered?"

The detective scratched his head, and said, "However they did it, they were very clever about it."

Tutu asked, "What do you recall seeing come in and out within the last fifteen minutes?"

He thought for a moment or two, and then said, "The only thing we recalled seeing was some catering vans that were supposed to be here."

Before she could respond, a few catering vans showed up, and Claire said, "Vans like those?"

Vans pulled up that looked exactly like those that had been there earlier. "I think you have your answer," said Tutu. The detective then said, "But how did they manage to get the children out so quickly, and without one of them making a sound?"

However, as he was asking this, Claire was already talking to the choir director, and getting some answers. "What happened," asked Claire.

The director was still teary-eyed, and finding it hard to speak. "I can't believe this happened," she said, "All the men said was that they needed the tent cleared so they could set up, so I ushered the children out, and that is the last I saw them."

"It had to be then," said Claire, "They must have had many people to grab and gag enough of the children before they could scream. This is the only explanation, and this also means that we are dealing with something big."

Meanwhile, Tutu was asking if they had heard from the kidnappers, and they said that, since there was no other way of knowing where they had gone, they would have to wait. Claire and Tutu shared their information with each other. While this happened, word did get through to them about the demands. The kidnappers stated that they wanted 30,000,000 yen in the next two hours. If this did not happen, then every hour on the hour after that, a child would be killed until the demand was met, or all the children were all dead—it was their choice. They also warned not to trifle with them, because if they cared about these children, they would be swift to respond. Tutu started running some numbers in her head, and asked Claire, "Where could they have gotten in the past 25 minutes?"

"They could have melted anywhere into the city," said Claire, "There is no way of knowing."

"We have to get in somehow," said Tutu. Claire was already in sync with her soul sister, and asked the detective how it was the kidnappers wanted the money delivered. "They said that they wanted two people to deliver the money, each one with a briefcase, and they need to be two people that either could not or would not fight back. There was to be no police anywhere nearby."

Tutu thought for a moment, and asked, "What kind of people are these: how do they think?"

The detective said, "They see themselves as the reincarnation of the samurai, and operate with that mindset."  
"Thus, they are steeped in their traditions," Claire said.

Tutu thought again, and then said, "Geisha: we can send geisha."

"I don't follow," said the detective.

"You said that they follow tradition, right?" Tutu asked, "Then, if we send geisha, then they would accept that: who better than to do a job like that, and how unassuming can one be?"

"You are not suggesting that we risk the lives of any of the geisha, are you?" asked the detective.

"I think I follow White Swan's intent," said Claire, "They have no idea who we are, or that two superheroes are on their tails. If we go disguised as two geisha, then we may be able to do something to track them: we can follow the vehicles, put on a tracking device on the vans, something."

"And if they try anything, like, say, take us prisoner as a bargaining chip…" said Tutu, but the detective interrupted, catching onto the point, "…they would not expect you two to be in the mix…"

"…and we would be able to act from within, as you close in from without," continued Tutu.

"Then, what are we waiting for?" asked the detective, and he was on the horn immediately to the closes geisha house, explaining the situation, and telling them the plan. After that, the swans were taken right away to the house.

While at the house, Claire suggested that they be dressed as two geisha novices, because what they were to do would be something more along the lines of what a novice would do. They also asked to be dressed in such a fashion that would allow them free movement, but would not look like it initially, considering that geisha normally wore dresses that would only allow them to shuffle along. Since they knew no one would know who they really were, taking off their masks before them would be no problem. They still wore their tights on underneath, and they wore the same kind of house shoes, in white, that Billy wore when he danced underneath the sandals that were typical of geisha. This way, if the had to act; they could kick off the sandals, and then be able to act. Once done, the police called the contact number that they had been given, and explained how it was all to happen. The kidnappers said, (using a voice synthesizer to insure they were not detected in this fashion,) where to meet them, and demanded no funny stuff. The kidnappers were told what kind of a vehicle would meet them, how many would be in the vehicle, and who would be delivering the brief cases. The kidnappers were delighted that they had obeyed, and were amused at how creative the police had become by the use of geisha. All was set.

Within an hour, all was readied. They met in the park, prepared for whatever happened. The Swans also made sure they had what they needed, including their fans folded and tucked into their belts. They stood underneath a certain cherry tree as they were told, and waited. However, the kidnappers came from behind, put a hand on each mouth, and swept them away quickly. The police in the car saw this, and were about to act, but the Swans were gone before anything could be done. Yet, the Swans anticipated this move, and were ready for it. They both could have easily tossed aside their assailants, but they played along with it, knowing that it would actually help bring an end to things. They were pulled inside a large windowless van, the doors were closed, and they tore off. As they did, however, the kidnappers immediately opened the briefcases, and, sure enough, the money was there. However, they began to rifle though the cases, and then found what they were looking for. "We thought so," said one of them, "How could they be so foolish to think that we would not know they would try this."

They laughed, and crushed the devices. They then demanded, "Did you know about this?"

They both got onto their knees, and bowed before them denying knowledge of this. The driver said, "Be sure that this is it. Search them."

They then began to pat the Swans down, and sickly enough, took a moment or two to grope one spot or another "just to be sure." Tutu shuttered, and began to feel a bit of anger and anxiety as to what was going to happen next. Claire, on the other hand, had all she could do to keep from ripping their arms out of their sockets. However, they would have to patient: they would get their chance. Yet, one of them began to get that look in his eyes, and began to move in on Tutu. Claire was about to move on this, but the driver said, "No! Not yet, anyway: the shogun may want the first crack at them, and he would have our heads if we did anything before him."

At that, he smiled at her, and said, "Do not worry, dear little geisha, we shall be together in time," and he backed off. Tutu was not the one for rage, however, at this; she was on the edge of it. She never wanted to hurt someone more than she did at that moment. She did not like it when she got like this, because it was so out of character for her. Claire seemed to detect this in her face, and whispered to her in English, "It's okay to be mad," she said, "They have already as much as violated you: you do not have to take that! Just relax: you'll get your chance."

They were brought to the docks, and were driven into one of the large warehouses. They were forcibly taken from the van, and presented to the boss. As they were, they doffed their sandals, because they knew that they would be going into action soon. The room had about 25 men inside, and they all were eying the girls with an evil look. They were taken into the office, and then taken into the back office, where the boss sat. Claire actually recognized the face as the head of one of the top crime families in Japan, and knew that on this day, there was the great chance to put an end to them once and for all. The two men that "escorted" the girls were conversing with the boss as they presented the brief cases. "Were you followed?" he asked.

"No, sensei," one of them answered, "They tried to put tracking devices in the briefcases, but we knew to look for them, and destroy them. I cannot believe they would be so sloppy."

"Who are these two?" he asked.

"They were the ones to present the cases," the other said, "We took them as an extra bargaining chip."

The boss smiled, and said, "Very good: now leave us. Everyone will have his chance. Don't damage them; the crew on the ship will love them as well. You know how lonely sailors get."

As the two men left, Tutu said, "On ship: What do you mean?"

Ignoring her, he continued, "And, as geisha, they will be able to take care of the brats until we can get them to Singapore. They will fetch us a lot of money on the slave market. So will they," pointing to the girls. "So, you had no intent on letting them go," asked Claire.

"Of course not," he laughed, "We would have just sold them normally. However, if we can fetch more of a profit out of this, then so much the better!"

He then turned and smiled at the girls, and said, "And now, it is time to show me your skills, starting with the taller one," referring to Claire. Tutu watched Claire to see what move she would make, and she saw the look on her face. It was a look of complete rage and disgust. She hoped this would not turn ugly, but if it were in her, she might just do what it looked like what Claire was contemplating. Yet, at this point, Claire was not contemplating. At this point, she knew that the group she was dealing with was so reprobate that there was no need to await the courts to see justice done: she could do it, and be fully justified. She waited until he was close enough, and with one swift move, had his throat slit before he knew what had hit him. He gagged loudly, and looked at her in a state of complete shock. He staggered for the door instinctively, because rational thought hat completely left him. Tutu could not believe what she had just seen, but before she could say anything, Claire said, "There is no telling whether or not he would have let us live anyway. I've looked it up: this would have been called justifiable homicide. Our lives were threatened—case closed. Now, get ready, it's about to get hot."

He fell through the door, looked at his men, extended a hand, and fell to the floor dead. Both men quickly had their guns out, but they quickly found themselves riddled with feather darts. The men outside heard a commotion in the office, and turned to see what was going on. Quickly, the two guards flew through the picture window, and hit the ground, screaming in pain. Before they could react, a rain of feather darts followed, followed by that with two fan-wielding geisha, leaping a distance that would make any long jumper envious. They were too busy contending with the feathers when the Swans descended upon them. Claire was striking and slashing indiscriminately, not caring about the fate of whom she attacked. Tutu, on the other hand, was being quite effective, striking hard, but being careful not to strike a fatal blow. Despite the threat to her life, she still did not know if she had it in her to take another life. Not all the men were in there, however, because some of them returned to their posts. One of them had a radio, and he was giving command for the ship to take off immediately. The Swans heard this, and Claire told Tutu, "Deal with that, I have this!"

Claire then commenced to pirouette quite fast, creating a vortex that knocked all the remaining men to their backs, giving Tutu the cover she needed to get to the ship. Claire then went outside to see if there was anyone else to deal with. When she got outside, she saw that Tutu had managed to slip past before the remaining 12 or so men closed in. She stood now, with her back to the gate of the dock, and the men closing in, all of them pulling out one kind of firearm or another. She hoped that the reinforcements were coming, or this swan's goose was cooked. It was at that precise moment when she heard from behind, "Ohjima, (the Japanese word for "princess,") hit the ground."

The moment she did, automatic gunfire flew over her head. None of her attackers remained on their feet. Swiftly, the SWAT team made their way in, moving quickly to mop up any leftovers. "Ohjima, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you," she said, "There are more in the warehouse, either unconscious, or worse."

"Good thing the tracking devices in your wigs were working. There is no telling what would have happened if they had found them," said the sergeant.

"It is a good thing that they found the decoys," said Claire.

"Where is your sister?" he asked.

"The children are on that boat, and she's going after them," said Claire, but the boat had already pulled away from the dock, further than the average person could jump. However, just as this thought was passing through their heads, they saw someone perform a _grande jette_ off the dock, and easily clear the distance to the deck. It was Tutu. It was a fishing boat with a hold just big enough to hold the children, and she went to work on the six crewmembers that were on board. She took out three quickly, and saw the other three approaching just as quickly. First, she had to stop the boat. She then began to turn in a series of _grande fouettes_. The water began to bubble, and then seaweed and sea grass began to rise up, entangle the screw, and then begin to creep over the edge of the boat. When she stopped, the men were almost on top of her, but the boat was made fast by a thick green coat of sea plants. Two of the men leveled rifles at her, but then the seaweed reached out and entangled them. She then wheeled around to see the remaining crewman go to the hold, lift the lid, and then pull out a grenade. "NOOOOOOO!!!!" she screamed, and took the position of refusal. However, as she did, a white aura began to glow around her. It silhouetted her body, and extended out, taking the form of a swan. Tutu then swung her arms forward, and the swan flew forward, blasting right through him, knocking him right off the deck. It did not kill him, but it sure hurt. She, in this stressful moment, had discovered a new attack. When she returned to her heels, she staggered and came to a kneeling position, feeling dizzy. If this was something that she could do, she knew that it was only in a desperate situation, because it knocked her for a loop! The man that fell off landed right in front of a port authority boat that came to aid her. They came on deck, and helped Tutu and the children back to shore.

In the aftermath, one of the most notorious crime families in Japan had indeed been shut down. All of them were certain to get convicted, and face severe fates. The boss, however, had already faced his justice. After a bit of questioning, they allowed Claire to walk, indeed calling her act a justifiable homicide. There was no question about that. Meanwhile, Tutu was getting a bit of nourishment to help regain her strength. "What happened?" asked Claire.

"I discovered a new attack," she said, "I think I released too much energy, if that is what you could call what happened."

Tutu then went on to state just what had happened, and then said, "If I can control it, it may not be so bad, and it could be quite effective."

"How are you doing now," Claire asked.

"Much better," she answered, "It did not take much to recover. How are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Claire asked.

"I mean, let's face it: you killed someone today," said Tutu.

"At the moment," she answered solemnly, "It was the only thing that I think could be done. I didn't think about it then, but believe me, when one does something like that, it hits you later, like it is right now."

"So it does bother you?" said Tutu.

"Taking a life is not something one takes lightly," Claire answered, "because life is precious. If you have no choice, however—when it becomes his life or yours—you cannot think about it. You cannot be remorseful. I just wanted to be sure that you and I were going to be able to go home today."

The two of them just sat silently, not knowing what to say next, and then Tutu said, "Let's go home."

As they walked back as their normal selves, Ahiru asked, "Do you think we'll make the news?"

"Oh, come on," said Rue, "What do you think."

"Sorry," she said, "I just wonder how our folks are going to think about this."

"How could they know who it was?" Rue asked.

"Well, I didn't tell them about…well…you know," Ahiru answered, "but I did mention Tutu in general—just in passing conversation…I mean I didn't say anything…well I did speak…well, you know what I mean…"

She stopped herself, took a deep breath, released it slowly, and said, "They don't know."

They walked on in the quiet a bit further, and then Rue felt she needed to ask, "I know this seems odd to ask at this time but, I've always wanted to know: why do you dance with people when you counsel them?"

"It puts them at ease," she answered, "I mean, when you dance, you are more expressive with your feelings, and you open your heart more to me. It then makes it easier to give someone what he or she need when his or her hearts are open to it. Does that make sense?"

"I guess so," Rue said, as she put her arm around Ahiru, "I guess I never thought about it. Yet, now, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense."

"What a story we have to tell the rest of the team, though," Ahiru said, "Can you imagine what we are going to tell them when they ask what we did over break? Oh, hi gang: we just celebrated Christmas, had a party, and busted a mob family — nothing interesting."

They both laughed hard, and made their ways home. Later on, in the AFN news report, images of the Swan Sisters bringing down the kidnappers were shown, along with a report on how everything had happened. "So, this was that Princess Tutu that you were telling me about earlier?" asked Mrs. Arima.

"That's the very one," she answered.

"She's very beautiful," her mother said, "Why would a nice girl like her want to get involved with that kind of a life? It seems very dangerous to me."

"Believe me, mother," she answered, "she can handle it."

"What was she doing here?" asked her mother.

"She's a super heroine," answered Ahiru, "She gets around."

She was so thankful for learning from Billy how to deflect questions that might accidentally cause her to reveal her identity. If her parents knew what she really had become, they would never let her out of their sight! One day, she would tell them…one day.


	17. Chapter 17

**XVII**

Billy waited until the right time before taking off, knowing he was playing with the date line, and had to time it right. He had called earlier, and Ahiru told him to meet her and her father at the front gate of the installation, so that her father would not grow suspicious on how he was able to get on post with no problem. He arrived in Tokyo as Captain Marvel, making sure to fly in below the radar to avoid a sudden "military escort" to this invader. He landed in the city near the installation, ducked into an alley, changed, and then approached the post. Ahiru and her father were at the gate to await him; they signed him in as a guest, gave him a visitor's pass, and a strict set of instructions as to where he could or could not go, and told him he had to be with either of these two for his time there. With the formalities out of the way, they began to take him back to the housing area. Immediately, Col. Arima was giving Billy the 3rd degree: how old are you, how long have you known Ahiru, what are your future plans, what are some of the things that the two of them had done, all this followed by his lecture on having respect for all those that showed honor and always sought to do the right things. Of course, he was sending subtle, but clear hints to Billy that he had better not do anything with his daughter that he was not pleased with—**or else!** This finally ended when they entered rather large apartment that someone of his rank would have attained, and they met her mother. Throughout the whole affair, Billy was acting like the perfect gentleman, and, at the same time, not laying one finger on Ahiru, lest her parents gain the wrong idea about his intentions with their daughter. When they entered, Mrs. Arima was far warmer in her reception, and her questioning was more out of getting to know her daughter's beau better than to act intimidating. They all sat down to a large lunch, and Billy's charm began to win over Ahiru's parents. Then, Mrs. Arima said, "I hear that you and your friends have formed some kind of an act. What is that all about?"

"Holy Moley," said Billy, (the first time he had ever used that term around Ahiru,) "Have we ever got an act!"

"What's it all about?" she then asked again.

"We dance ballet to all kinds of music, and we also play instruments and sing," he added, "and sometimes both. We call ourselves the Pas De Six."

"Is this just something for school, or…" asked Col. Ahiru.

"We are actually thinking about doing this professionally," said Billy, "and Mr. Katt, our teacher, is doing all he can to help us get it going."

"Won't that interfere with school?" her mother asked.

"Actually, we've worked out a rehearsal time that doesn't interfere at all, and Mr. Katt is doing all he can to coach us in that time," answered Billy, "We really have a killer act."

"If you were to 'hit it big,' as you say, would you have to drop out of school?" Col. Arima asked with a taint of concern in his voice.

"Mr. Katt said that there would be those in the business who would try to encourage this," said Billy, "However; I have a friend named Mr. Tawny, and he is in the business as a manager. Because he is a family friend, I know that he would not take advantage of this, and give us bookings that would suit us. Besides all this, we would not be going out for shows during school unless a situation was to be set up where it would not interfere with school. We do have to do things to stay in the public eye, though, because three of our members will have already graduated, and they will want to work, so we have to accommodate that."

"How will you do that?" asked Mrs. Arima.

"Right now, the three are looking into getting into the Fawcett City Ballet Company to further themselves, and to stay in the business," said Billy, "That way, we will all be fresh when we have performances. You know, it might help you to see some DVD's I had made up by the school. Since the record every show, this was no problem. I have one when our class did _Dracula_, one when our class did _Cinderella_, and one with all our variety show performances as the Pas De Six, including this year's alumni show. They wanted us in that, because they loved our act, and felt they could use us. Even Sasha Baryshnikov thinks we have something. Maybe this will give you an idea."

"Well, let's look at those after we eat?" said Mrs. Arima, genuinely happy that they would get a chance to see their daughter in action.

Billy made sure to start with the variety show, so that her parents may get a strong idea of what the act was all about. This was something Billy figured would be a good bargaining chip to keep Ahiru in that school. It started with their first show. "I am guessing the two other boys are Mytho and Fakir?" asked Mrs. Arima rhetorically, "I do believe that this is the first time I have ever seen them. The one dancing with Rue is Mytho, I assume?"

"That's right," said Ahiru.

"So, these are all your friends," asked her father, "The ones that you have told me about in your letters?"

"Then it seems natural that something like this would happen if you six are all that close," said her mother, "And who's the girl with the raven hair?"

"That's my twin sister, Mary," answered Billy.

"So, your sister's involved," said Col. Arima, now beginning to see that the people his daughter was with were trustworthy people, as well as beginning to see that Billy's intentions were honorable as well. He also had to admit that these kids were quite good. They began to see their daughter in an entirely different light now, and were now beginning to question why they ever pondered trying to take their daughter out of Kinkan. If they had not sent her there to start with, this would never have happened. They now realized that their actions were a bit selfish: they did not care about her finding something closer as much as it was that they missed their daughter, and did not want to miss her growing up. However, there were not many schools better than Kinkan, save maybe the New York City School of the Arts. Could she have had this chance elsewhere? Would she have had this chance here in Tokyo? Then they were mesmerized by the response of the audience, and Billy then explained that what they were about to see was completely off the cuff. This surprised Ahiru's parents even more. They put on a good number, and they were impressed on how professionally they were able to throw something together. They were even more impressed by their daughter, who seemed to be dancing as if she was possessed. "More of channeling that Princess Tutu there, honey?" asked her mother.

"That is exactly what I am doing?" she answered.

Billy then whispered, "Did you tell them?"

She whispered back, "I mentioned her, but I didn't tell them I was her."

"Good," he said, "They are not ready for that yet."

The next thing they saw was the Christmas show, which seemed to be even better than the first show, especially their encore. Then they saw the alumni show. Her parents then began to recognize some of the celebrities on the stage, and then said, "I didn't know that they had gone to Kinkan!"

"A few of them didn't" said Ahiru, "but the majority of did, and the extras are friends that they had made."

"Why did they have you six in the show?" asked Col. Arima.

"They liked what we had, and saw the future in us," said Billy.

After about 30 seconds of silence, Col. Arima said, "That settles it! Your going back to that school, whether you like it or not!" as if it had been Ahiru's idea to pull out. She rolled her eyes, smiled, and said, "Yes, papa," as if a bit dejected. When that was over, they put in _Cinderella_, and Billy knew that, if they were not yet convinced, (though it seemed as if they were,) this would do it. At this point Billy had his foot on a hassock, and his arms lay out on the top of the couch. About ten minutes into the show, she lay down on the couch, and lay her head on Billy's leg, putting both her hands on his thigh. Instinctively, Billy put his hand on her arm, and Ahiru brought her topside arm into such a fashion as to facilitate entwining her fingers into his, by putting her forearm atop his, and linking fingers. Col. Arima's face began to become a bit cross, and he looked like he was about to say something. However, Mrs. Arima caught onto this, and grabbed him by his shirt, pulled him in, and whispered, "Don't be such a fuddy-duddy! Your daughter is growing up. Did you think you could keep her in a glass jar until she was thirty?"

He looked a bit ashamed, and then grumbled, "I was kind of hoping…"

"Oh you!" she said, and then took the same position as her daughter. She felt the romance in the air that the ballet they were now watching was giving off. Since they already knew about Mr. Katt, seeing him was not that odd. They were impressed with their daughter's dance with him. They were also later impressed with the _pas de deux_ that the two now on the couch with them had done. It seemed passionate, but innocent at the same time. Mrs. Arima looked over at the kids, and saw the two of them smiling, occasionally looking at each other. Ahiru then sat up, seeing that her parents did not seem to disapprove with her display of affection, (better indicated by the position that her mother had taken with her father,) and then repositioned herself and Billy in such a fashion where they could both recline, and she could lay back with her own head on his chest, and her arms embracing his. Col. Arima began to stir a bit, but his wife pinched him. Then she whispered, "Come into the kitchen right now!"

"I don't like what I am seeing right now!" he said, "He's got his hands all over my daughter!"

"Oh, really!" she said, "And, please tell me how you were when we were that age?"

"That's what makes me worried!" he retorted.

"Honey, they are not doing anything wrong!" she snapped, but in such a fashion that the kids could not hear. She then said, "Come, and look at them."

When they looked over the counter into the living room, they noticed the video paused, Billy saw them, and said, "Oh, I put it on pause until you came back," he said happily. She pulled him back, and said, "Now that is a gentleman for you! Notice also that he has done nothing that she has not wanted. She has guided everything. I don't know who taught that boy, but you owe him or her thanks for teaching him how to treat your daughter right. Besides, you just might be looking at your future son-in-law, so you'd better get used to the sight! Now, grab some chips and sodas, and act like nothing's wrong."

He hung his head like a naughty little boy, and groused, "But honey…"

"Don't 'but honey' me, unless you want to get a good look at the couch tonight!" she said. He knew this was no idle threat, and had to concede to his wife. "Now you go in there and behave like everything is fine."

They returned with the sodas and bowls of chips, and Billy politely thanked them both. Ahiru, not even getting up from that position, grabbed a bowl for both her and Billy. Mrs. Arima took the same position as her daughter, and said, "Now, relax, would you, or, would you like me to tell them how shy a young man you were, and how I had to practically train you?"

He sighed, and then tried to focus his attention on the ballet, and his wife then told him, "Don't they make you feel young again?" and brought his hand up to kiss it. He then laughed to himself now seeing just how silly he had been. Maybe this young man would not make a bad son-in-law after all.

When it was about four in the afternoon, Billy said it would be time for him to go, and said that he would be by with Rue for the get together on the 23rd. He said that the DVD's were theirs to keep, and that he would send them any other shows that they had all done, so that they would always be able to see as to what their daughter was doing. Mrs. Arima thanked Billy for the kind gesture, and said, "That would make it like she was always here."

"That's the intent," said Billy.

"Billy," said Col. Arima, "I have to admit that I had my misgivings about you. Yet, you have shown me that you are a true gentleman, and that you have a big heart. Take good care of my baby duck."

"I shall do so with all my heart," said Billy, who then stood at attention, and saluted him, and he returned it. Ahiru then said that she would escort him to the gate. "Wait," said Mrs. Arima, "Do you have a place to stay? Do you need one?"

"Well, I already have a hotel room," he said, "and I do not want to impose."

"Oh, it would be no imposition at all," she said.

"Well, the pass says that I only have today," he said, "and I do not want to put you through the paperwork of allowing me to stay here. I do thank you for the offer though."

"Well, then, I guess I will see you later," she said, "Good night."

"See you then," said Billy, and the two of them left.

Ahiru said, "Wow, I didn't think daddy would take this so well."

"He didn't," said Billy.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"When you started to snuggle up," he explained, "if looks could kill, I would have been a pile of ash."

"What happened?" she then wondered.

"You should thank your mother," he answered, "I think she saw the fact that I let you initiate everything, in order to set your parents at ease about me. I also think that's why they went to the kitchen: to discuss the matter."

"How could you tell all that?" she then asked.

"When you work in the realm of the superhero," he said, "you learn how to be a detective, and observant. Besides, my theatre classes have taught me how to read faces and emotions in order to better depict them on stage. That comes in handy."

"Thanks," she said, "I'll have to remember that."

"I'll see you later this afternoon," he said, "I'll be around at about 6 P.M. and you need to excuse yourself to your room. By the time you get back it will be tomorrow morning, so they will not suspect anything. Get some rest, but you will also have some time to sleep on the flight. That way, your equilibrium will not be sent out of whack."

"Flight," she asked, "Where are we going?"

He sighed, and she noticed the cue, as they both said, "It's a surprise!"

That afternoon, Marvel and Rue met Ahiru outside the gate of the installation, and they then went to an abandoned alley. There they transformed, and he then said, "First, we are going to Area 51, where we will be catching our flight."

"Area 51!" Ahiru exclaimed, "Isn't that where there is supposed to be UFO fragments and things like that?"

"Well, that's not quite it," he said, as he lifted the two of them of the ground, "There are certain things that the people would be better off not knowing, and certain things that need to be severely protected. One of them is the JLA craft that we shall be riding on."

"So, we're not going to New York?" asked Claire.

"The number of heroes that are going to be at this gathering would be a prime target for any old foe," said Billy, "This is why the JLA _main_ headquarters are where they are: to assist in the safety factor."

They had not realized it, but they had been traveling quite fast. They had not noticed the speed due to their changed state, which protected them from the high speed that Marvel could achieve. They crossed over the coast, into Arizona, and to Area 51. He landed outside the gate, gave the correct password, and they acknowledged the two guests that he had informed them about beforehand. Even though Marvel was a trusted sight there, they still kept a close escort on them because of his guests. They entered a room, and went down a set of stairs. A large craft that looked otherworldly sat before them. It had the Justice League logo on the side. As they entered the very spacious craft, Rue said, "Where on earth are we going?"

"We're not!" said Marvel. As he said this, large doors opened up before them to reveal a long tunnel that seemed to curl up at the end. He then said, "Strap down, because we are going to be picking up quite a bit of thrust."

The craft lifted up, started to move, and then they began to move as if they had been shot out of a cannon. The tunnel began to arc upward, and then eventually went straight up at the same speed. Ahead of them, a door slid open, and they redoubled their speed. They had achieved about 15,000 feet in a matter of seconds, as they cut a loud sonic boom. They were going no faster than three G's at that moment, but the other two were surprised how easily they were taking things, both at that time, and when Marvel had carried them there. Their enhanced bodies gave them the ability to withstand this kind of thrust. Through rear windows, the girls began to watch as the ground receded away quickly. "Okay," shouted Tutu over the sound of wind rushing by them, "I get that it is not on earth. So, where are we going?"

She had to hush herself halfway through her question, because they had left Earth's atmosphere at that moment, and the sound was no longer heard. Marvel answered, "The Moon."

"The Moon?" said Rue, "Why are we going there?"

"That was the safest place to put the main base," said Marvel, "and we have several of these craft for those heroes, like you two, that cannot get there under their own power. Of course, these are far better than what NASA can provide: a normal three-day trip to the moon only takes about six hours in this thing. Oh, get ready, we are using a gravity assist from the Earth to gain speed, and then the engines will take it from there."

They whipped around the Earth, gaining speed as they went, enough to break earth's gravitational pull, and then the engines kicked in again at full throttle, thrusting them back into their seats. Once the proper speed had been achieved, the engines cut out, and Marvel set it on autopilot. "You to can unbuckle now, but be careful": said Marvel, "you are weightless now, so even the slightest push can send you tumbling."

They unstrapped, and pushed up slightly. They easily floated off their seats, and they had to put their hands up to keep from bumping the ceiling. Marvel said, "Pull yourselves along, and push off walls to go where you want."

The weightless state seemed to give the craft eight times more space than it did actually possess. Claire and Tutu were loving it, bouncing around, and doing spins and summersaults, even doing a ballet move or another. Of course, once Tutu started spinning in pirouettes, she could not stop. "Um, could someone help me please?" she asked frantically, "I think I am going to hurl!"

Quickly, Marvel came up and stopped her spin. "Careful," he said, "Here, there is nothing that will stop you quickly, because the ground is not underneath you to cause friction, and slow you down. Only the air would, and that would take some time."

He then guided them to one of the windows, and the watched as the Earth slowly receded behind them. "In my wildest dreams," said Tutu, "I never thought I would see the likes of this!"

"If you like that, you are going to love the Moon," said Marvel, "I would also suggest you two get some rest, so your internal clocks will not be upset to the point where you have problems when I return you two to Tokyo."

"Where are Mytho and Fakir?" asked Rue.

Marvel pulled them to a window on the other side. They saw the same kind of craft outside, and they saw the boys, Mary, and Superman waving back at them. As they waved, Marvel said, "Now, let me get you two comfortable."

With that, he opened a compartment, and pulled out two sleeping bags. He unrolled them, and stuck the Velcro parts to the wall. From an Earth perspective, they would have looked like they would be sleeping standing up. However, out there, every direction was "up," and thus, from their perspective, they felt as if they were lying down. As Marvel strapped them into the bags, Tutu asked, "What if we are not sleepy?"

"In weightlessness, that is not a worry," he said, "Notice that you two are still floating: it is not hard to fall asleep like this. Get ready for the most comfortable and refreshing sleep you two will have ever experienced. Just relax your whole body, and don't move. The bags are there just to keep you two from drifting away."

They were both already doing as he said, and found that a pillow and mattress were not needed here, because they would stay in whatever position they set themselves. They being inside the bag felt just as secure as being inside a mother's womb, floating free. As soon as they relaxed themselves, they were out. They slept so deeply that any dreams they would have had, they would not have remembered. Six hours later, a gentle alarm awoke them, and Marvel said, "Good morning, ladies: unzip and come to your seats, please. Gravity will be returning soon, and although it is only one sixth the Earth's gravity, the artificial gravity on the base is one G."

They did as they had been bidden, and the craft pulled up to a large, towering facility, that fanned out like a large flower. A tunnel door opened up, allowing both craft to enter, and they pulled up into a parking area where many other craft rested. Once stopped, the girls got up, and then felt a bit awkward now that gravity had returned. They went and retrieved their gifts and instruments, and stepped out. Superman welcomed them warmly, and then led them into the main room where the gathering would be taking place.

As they entered, they saw a great number of heroes, brightly clad in their costumes, but socializing as if such a sight were normal. Christmas music wafted over the sound system as the conversations went on. However, what they spoke about was not standard fare, as they were all sharing anecdotes of recent adventures. Superman brought them to the main table, and said, "Okay, ladies and gentle heroes, here are our new guests tonight. Meet the Secret Six!"

Everyone wheeled around to see the six standing there, and they all applauded. One of the heroes said, "Great to finally meet you!"

Another said, "We've been watching your adventures, and the last one with you two ladies was fantastic!"

Soon, a number of them gathered around, and the six then spread out and began to schmooze with the crowd of heroes. At first, it seemed odd to the five outside of Marvel, but they began to get the feel for things as they were being treated like peers. To Tutu, it seemed nice to be in a place where people accepted you for who you are, and were not judgmental. Dinner was called, and they all sat down to a great Christmas dinner. After that, more socializing took place, and some gifts were exchanged at that point. Tutu gave Marvel his gifts, and loved them. He also got a chuckle out of the Ernie doll, and said, "I guess you got me back for the duck, eh?"

"I only hope that it gives you good reminders of me, as the duck gives them to me of you," she said as she gently smiled, and looked lovingly into his eyes. Marvel then gave her his gifts: a dulcimer, and an instructional book for it, some more nice clothes, and he then pulled out a music box. It was a figurine of a yellow duck, and he said, "This has two songs on it that I was able to record and have put on it. All you have to do is press down on the duck's head, and it will play one of the two songs."

She pressed it, and out came a Beatles tune entitled "Julia." However, wherever "Julia" was supposed to be, Billy had replaced it with "Ahiru." Since it was he playing and singing, he was able to do this. When the song was done, the other song was "Kathy's Song," and she adored both songs. "Oh Bill…" she stopped herself, and whispered, "I'm sorry," and then said, "Thank you so much for the sweet gifts, Marvel."

She hugged and then kissed him. However, as she did, they heard, "All right you two; get a hotel, would ya?"  
"Hello, Guy!" said Marvel, a bit annoyed, yet a bit amused. All Tutu could do was giggle and blush. "Tutu," he said to her, "This is Green Lantern: Guy Gardner. Don't worry about identities, because everyone knows who he is!"

"Enchante, mademoiselle," he said in a somewhat debonair way, although it was still a bit Brooklyn in nature, as he kissed her hand. "Thank you, kind sir," she said with a curtsey. Then Guy said, "Marvel, I'm jealous of you! I search for years, and you land such a vision of loveliness like that!"

"Go to an art school!" he said as he smiled, deftly took her by the arm, and began to stroll off nobly. He then laughed, and nudged Guy in such a fashion as to have him come along. "Oh, the real reason why I came over here," Guy said, "was to tell you that Wonder Woman asked to talk to the girls, so I'm letting you know."

She thanked him for the information, kissed Marvel's cheek, and she went off to find Wonder Woman. Then Guy said, "So, tell me about your latest adventure," and they trailed off as they conversed.

Claire had already met up with Wonder Woman when Tutu approached, and she warmly smiled. "Welcome, sister princess!" said Wonder Woman, "I hope your time here has been pleasant!"

"It has been quite enjoyable," she answered, "and I love how warm and welcoming everyone has been. By the way, what did you mean by 'sister princess?'"

"Well, my real name is Princess Diana," she answered, "and this is not a secret here, so do not worry. There are a couple of reasons why I wished to speak to you. First of all, I want you to meet someone."

At that, up rolled to them a very beautiful redhead who was wearing glasses and was sitting in a wheelchair. "This is Barbra Gordon," said Wonder Woman, "She used to be Batgirl, but unfortunately, thanks to a well-aimed bullet from a villain named the Joker, she has been paralyzed from the waste down."

Tutu took her hand tenderly, smiled a sympathetic smile, and said, "I am so sorry."

However, Barbra would have none of it, laughed, and said, "Don't fret over it! I've gotten over it. Besides, because of what happened, I have just switched my crime fighting efforts to another way. In fact, it ended up a blessing in disguise, because I am now known as Oracle. I operate the JLA computer systems and database that all the other crime fighters use in their efforts, including Batman, and even Interpol. I also am able to fight crime through the computers, being able to reach out in a more powerful way than I ever have before, now including the fight against cyber crime that now is the scourge of the crime world. Even if I were to walk again, I would continue to do this."

"There are not many strong souls like you," said Tutu, "So many would be crushed under such thing."

"Hey, life hands you lemons, make lemonade!" Barbra laughed.

"However, if you ever wish to walk again, I know someone that might help," she said.

"Don't worry about it," she said, waiving it off, "Even if this person can heal, there is someone here that has tried, and she is quite powerful in that regard and she could not do anything. Besides, for me, it doesn't matter. All the Joker did was make me something more powerful that what he tried to destroy, and this chair is a reminder to me that a disability is no handicap if you don't want it to be. If I come out better because of someone's worst, then who has really won the fight?"

"So well said!" exclaimed Tutu.

"Who is the one of whom you speak?" Claire asked.

Barbra pointed over to a young woman in a dark blue leotard and shoes, with long dark blue lower arm sheaths that opened below the fingers, held up with a single string between the middle and ring fingers, almost covered by a dark blue cloak, with a hood that came down to a point revealing only half of her face. "Normally, she intermingles, but listens more than she talks," said Wonder Woman, "She is like you in the sense that she can make mind links and counsel, or do what needs to be done. She can also heal, and also has quite a powerful astral attack."

Tutu then observed, "But why is she standing alone right now?"

"To be honest," she said, "it is because of her name, and where she gets her power. She is afraid that you may hate her for that, and is scared how you would react."

"What is her name?" said Claire.

Wonder Woman hesitated, and said, "Please understand that the source of her power is not from that which you six fight against, but her name is Raven. It is partly due to how she came to be that she is, and has always been, somewhat of a recluse. It is because of that that she is frightened right now."

"Oh, I see," said Tutu, "and she thinks that we may attack her because of that. The poor thing, I am going to have to talk to her."

"Before you do," said Wonder Woman, "I want to tell you of something else that might interest you, and you need to know."

"What would that be?" said Claire.

Wonder Woman said, "Grab a seat, because this may take a bit."

Once they sat, she continued, saying, "Before I start, I just wanted to say that, if you kids were ever to get a headquarters, Oracle can help set up a computer for you, and a crime lab. This is why I wanted you to meet. She will make it the best system you have ever seen, and yet, very easy for any of you to use. Now, let's get on to business. I have been back to my home, Paradise Island, and I have been doing some research on the Raven, which threatens your very existence. In that process, I also discovered something about the ancestry and genealogy of the both of you. Get ready for this! You two have connections back to Paradise Island."

They both looked at her in amazement, and then asked, "How is this possible?"

Wonder Woman then said, "Normally, if you do not wish it, no one here has to reveal their identities to anyone. However, the inner core of the Justice League, because of filming your efforts, and wanting to see how we may be able to aid you, we are aware of your identities. This only goes as far as the core group of heroes. I then traced both of your genealogies back, and it seems the both of you have a mutual ancestor that goes back about 15 centuries, and that ancestor goes back to Paradise Island itself."

Both of the Swan Sisters now leaned forward, keen to hear more. She continued, "On the island, at that time, there was a powerful woman who was a noble on the island, and she had two daughters. You will be pleased to know that they were both excellent fighters, graceful, and beautiful. I do believe that they also were good dancers; although what kind of dance they did, I do not know. I am certain it was not ballet, of course, because the form had not yet been invented. In any case, they were fine examples of Amazons, and were the envious admiration of everyone on the island. However, this Raven, whom you battle, had gained a bodily form by a sacrifice, threatened to take over the Earth, and then to plunge it into darkness. Yet, those two sisters, who were called the Swan Sisters, combined their powers and abilities, and managed to seal off the Raven from this realm. As an aside, it is interesting that they were called the White Swan, and the Black Swan, and each of you descend directly from your namesakes. Of course, what their real names were, we only know of one, and that was the Black Swan. The reason why you are called Claire is that Shazam must have known your history, and bestowed on you her name. The real name of the White Swan has been lost. I am certain it wasn't Tutu. By the way, why do you call yourself Tutu?"

"My only guess," said Tutu "is the fact that the sight of a beautiful Tutu is what attracted me into Edel's shop to begin with. Because of the close proximity of time of when I received the original pendant, and when I first became Tutu, the name stuck in my mind. Thus, I became Princess Tutu. That is only a guess, though."

Wonder Woman though for a minute, and then said, "Well, that does make sense. I kind of like the name! Anyway, let's get back to the story. These same powers are powers the two of you possess, yet may not realize it yet. The Raven, however, before he was sealed out, vowed revenge on either them, or their ancestors. From that time forward, he sought another heart to bring him back. Now, Mytho and Fakir play in like this: they are unrelated to you, but their ancestors fought off a sect of raven worshippers, and destroyed the cult, who was looking to make the sacrifice again, and bring back the Raven. The two boys are direct descendants of those knights, but are not related to you. It is just that they had their own story in relation. This is why things happened the way they did as children, because the Raven also seeks revenge on them as well, and to take Mytho's heart would be icing on the cake. It did not work the way he wanted, because he became more sealed off from this realm because of Mytho. It is only fate that has brought the lot of you together."

"Okay, I understand all that," said Claire, "However, how does she and I play into this?"

"This is where it gets interesting," said Wonder Woman, "After that initial battle with the Raven, their mother realized the danger that the island was in if they stayed, for they knew that the Raven could call minions to act for him, like they did with the Chess Knights ancestors, and fight for him. They did not want to see the Raven recruit any of the Amazons for this purpose, knowing that he would seek revenge wherever they were. Because of the danger she felt that her family posed to the island, they left and lived out mortal lives. Her daughters eventually wed, had children, and from there, the lines become very diverse. I just find it interesting that all the players ended up in the same place at the same time. I would not say that it was by design; however, I am certain it played right into the Raven's talons. He must have done some maneuvering to gain Edel as his liaison, and Edel was quite devilish in her plans. She sought to exact all vengeance at once, and possibly humiliating the lot of you in the process by turning the people who should have been allies against each other. He wanted to destroy you, and make a mockery of you and your ancestors in the process. He did not count on you two becoming friends and defeating him somehow. However, here is the thing: he is trying everything to return to this realm, and there is no telling how big this is going to be. The longer a time passes between her activity and the final conflict, the bigger a fight you six may have. Whenever this does happen, call us. Whoever can be there will be there. Besides, for the sake of all my Amazon sisters—and that includes the two of you—and for the sake of your ancestors, I want a part of this. This time, though, it cannot just stop at banishment. He has to be destroyed."

"How are we going to do that?" asked Tutu.

"I don't know," Wonder Woman answered, "But give me some more time to research. I am beginning to wonder if he being destroyed ties into Mytho, his ancestor, or both. I wonder if he has the ability to destroy the Raven. It would explain the desire for his heart above others. If he can get a pure heart, and destroy the one that could destroy him, it would be a sweet victory for him indeed. Well, this is what I wanted to tell you. I though this might interest you two, and maybe give you some help when the time comes to fight."

They thanked her for the information, and then began to ponder their past, and their blood. They had Amazon blood running through the both of them, and they both had untapped powers of which they needed it figure out how to gain access. In the meantime, Tutu wanted to set someone at ease.

Tutu approached Raven with a gentle smile, and very slowly, in hopes that she did not try to wander away. Raven looked up in time to see her approach, and wanted to get out of there, but the smile of Tutu made her hesitate. "Please, dear Raven, do not fear," said Tutu, "for we would never mean you any harm."

Raven hung her head a bit more, and said very sadly, "If you knew that which sired me, you would want nothing to do with me."

"It cannot be all that bad," reasoned Tutu.

Raven looked up, but it was hard to see her eyes with how the hood was pulled over her head, and she said, "You are fighting a demon-like creature, are you not?"

"Yes, that is true," said Tutu.

"Then if you knew what it was that had a hand in siring me," she answered, "then you would want nothing to do with me."

"What did this, then?" Tutu asked, "I can help you: I dance to guide your heart."

Raven thought for a bit, and then said, "I can sense about you that you have a large, caring heart, with no malice within it, so I believe that, if I tell you, you will not shy away, as so many others have done once they know the truth."

Tutu smiled, and said, "Can you do what I can do?"

Raven gracefully put her hand to her mouth, smiled a touch, and said, "Well, I guess so."

"Then," said Tutu, "Please tell me."

Raven found it hard to talk about this to anyone, but Tutu was very disarming, and just had an aura about her that made you feel you could trust her. Raven then said, "Okay, here it goes: there was once a woman who was convinced by an occult group that, if she had relations with he who they worshipped, her offspring would be something powerful and great for the world. When she arrived in the realm of this being, what she saw was the most handsome man she had ever seen. However, when the act was done, this being revealed his true self: a demon. However, she was rescued by some kind and wise men, who were enemies of this group, and did all they could to be sure this offspring was raised to be a kind and powerful aid to all mankind. That offspring was I. The intent of this demon was to create a child through whom he could conquer the world, and later, the universe. When I was in my early teens, he confronted me, and I wanted nothing to do with him. I tried to resist him with all the gifts the wise men knew were within me and fostered in me, and caused to flourish, but it was to no avail. However, he did not try to destroy me, but kept me constantly frustrated to the point where my rage got the better of me, and a raven spirit that lives within me—not the one you fight, mind you—came forth, prepared to make an astral attack. That was his goal. He wanted to know if this had manifested itself within me. This was the power he wanted to see if I had, and if he could use one day. However, he did not count on how well the wise men did their work, because he was never able to coerce me to his side, and later, I was able to defeat him forever. Now, I work with the Titans, but I have never gotten over my introverted ways."

She grew silent for a moment, as if to collect her thoughts, "I guess that, though they know that I am a friend, and that I would never hurt anyone, knowing my origins makes them frightened, as if what is now a useful attack would end up gaining a mind of its own, and try to destroy them. I guess my power scares them a bit."

"A bit ironic, don't you think?" asked Tutu. Raven got a quizzical look on her face, tilted her head, and looked at Tutu oddly. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, I mean, look at all the heroes around here," she said, "With all their origins and with all their powers, why should they be scared. Look at the Marvels. From what I understand, they are indestructible when they are what they are right now. Do you not think that they could easily subdue you if it came to that? Normally, I link with minds to have talks like this, but I feel that this would not be necessary with you. Anyway, is it that they are sacred of you, or is it that you are scared of what you could do to them if you get out of control? Do you subconsciously do things to keep people at a distance?"

Raven now stared amazedly at her, realizing, for the first time, that it may have been her keeping people at a distance all the time. "You know, I think I have known this all along, and I have never admitted this to myself."

She hung her head a bit, and looked ready to cry, but Tutu lifted her chin with her finger, and smiled at her, saying, "Its okay! Sometimes there are things that we do that we do not realize, or do not want to accept, because of one silly thing or another: we all have, and I know I have! However, overcoming those things is not very hard, because they are usually small things anyway. Yet, I think there is a deeper fear that you have that causes you to keep people at a distance, and that is, because of your origin, you worry about how people will treat and view you. Well, let me tell you, if they are not willing to accept you for who you are, and what you are, and they are not willing to learn to love you for what it is that makes you unique, are they really your friends? If not, they are the ones that lose, not you. Do you love yourself? I'm sure there is lots to love about yourself, isn't there."

Now Raven was blushing and smiling, and Tutu said, "Now that is a little more like it!"

"You are not scared of me?" asked Raven.

Tutu giggled, and said, "Why should I be?"

Raven said, "Oh, thank you!" and hugged Tutu, who returned the embrace. Tutu then said, "Know this: if you ever need somewhere to go, and someone to be with that does care, come to us, and we will take you in. You have friends, and you are not alone."

"Thank you," said Raven, "And when the time comes to take on this raven demon, I want to help. That would be ironic, would it not: a raven fighting a raven?"

"Well, know that I do not hate the bird," said Tutu, "we just do not like this one raven. We even have a raven butler in our home!"

"A raven as a butler!" she laughed and exclaimed, "How is that possible?"

"Come," she said, "Let us go get some refreshments, and I'll tell you all about it!"

About ten minutes later, Tutu noticed that Batman was sitting all by himself by the crime lab computers. Tutu asked Raven, "Is he on duty or something?"

"Well, let us just say that he likes to keep the vigil while we celebrate," said Raven.

"Did he eat?" Tutu asked.

"We saved a plate for him," said Raven. Tutu noticed the serious, solemn look on his face, and said, "Where is that plate?"

She received the plate, and all the utensils, and went to serve the meal. She approached from the side so as not to startle him, and said, "They saved a plate for you. It's all right here."

Without even looking up, he said, "Just set the things right here," in a way that reminded her much of Fakir in one of his more sour moods. "Nonsense!" said Tutu, "I want you to enjoy a good meal too, even if you have to work."

He looked over, and was about to protest, but her gentle smile and demeanor was disarming. He could do nothing but to go ahead and let her take care of things. She opened the lid, set the plate before him, and then spread out the silverware in a proper place setting, and then she said, "I'll be right back!" with a great big smile on her face. Batman could see that she certainly enjoyed doing this, and doing things for people in general. He knew that she was indeed a capable hero, but he never realized how capable "capable" was. She returned with a large glass of eggnog, and said, "You cannot have a Christmas dinner without this!"

Despite how much he did not want to, he could not help but effect a grin on his face to all this doting. He finally said, "You remind me so much of my butler, Alfred."

"Oh?" she responded, "How so?"

"Well, he's not just some servant," answered Batman, "He has been a friend, mentor, father figure, and even my conscience at times! Sometimes, I get so caught up in a case of one sort or another, that he and Robin have to force me to make sure that I get the basic staples and such—generally, to make sure that I take care of myself."

At this point, she knelt by his chair like she was his mother, doting over the smallest of things that he had to say, and showed a look on her face that seemed like she was enjoying every minute of it. "What a big, caring heart you must have," she said, "to care so much for yourself that your own well being takes a back seat. Of course, if that happens, it is hard to show your care when you are in bed sick."

He chuckled, and said, "Yes, you're just like Alfred!"

She though for a minute, and then effected a concerned look on her face, asking, "And, what do you think he would say if he saw you right now?"

His head lowered a bit, and he said, "He would probably ask me, 'What are you doing sitting there? Is there not a Christmas party going on right now?'"

"Then, I guess I'll ask for him," she said, but he responded to this by saying, "Someone has to do this."

"Is there not some kind of alarm system that could alert us of trouble, and allow you to join us?" she pressed.

"I don't always trust it," he said, "A computer sometimes does not know one thing from another with respect to a crime or disaster. Humans do it better."

"I though Oracle designed this?" she asked, "Was she not under you at one time? Could she not have programmed it with that in mind?"

Suddenly, Batman did not like where the whole thing was going. He was getting the third degree, and he had his reasons he cared not to express as to his reasons for what he did, especially at that moment. "Look," he said, firmly, but not scolding, "For me, Christmas is just another day. Crime doesn't care what day it is: it strikes when it wants, and we cannot let our guard down. So, if you please, I have work to do."

She wanted to say further, but she began to realize that it would have been futile to try to argue this point. She knew what she really wanted to do, but she wasn't sure how he would take it, and he did not seem like the kind that would appreciate someone wanting to root around in his head. However, the whole scene was not unobserved.

She stood up, and began to walk away feeling sad for this man, and that is when she ran into Robin and Nightwing. "Don't feel bad, princess," said Nightwing, "Robin and I have tried to break through that for years, and we still haven't gotten him to loosen up."

"I don't understand," she said, "This is Christmas: everyone should enjoy themselves at Christmas."

"Well, its always hard on him this time of year," said Robin, "The ones that he wants to spend time with are no longer with us."

"That is so sad," she said, "but we can still enjoy Christmas."

"It's how he lost them," said Nightwing, "This is why he is the way he is."

"What happened," she said, her heart dropping into her shorts.

"He and I share something in common," said Nightwing, "We both had our parents murdered: his were murdered right in front of him."

That rocked her back, and she wanted to, at that moment, rush right up and hug him with all her might. Nightwing continued, "There is a difference between him and me, though. I think it has something to do with both of our upbringings. He was brought up in a rich family; I was raised in the circus."

"What would make the difference in that case," she asked.

"In the circus," Nightwing answered, "one has to deal with hardships all the time. I'm not saying that lessens what happened to my parents, nor am I saying that it makes me a better person because I handled it differently. It's just that one learns how to gain closure on things a bit sooner. I mean, he and I both were able to avenge ourselves on those that denied us normal families. However, in the hard life of the circus, one learns to roll with the punches, no matter how hard things are. I was always prepared for that day, considering that the three of us were a trapeze act, and we knew that, on any given night, something could go wrong, and it would be all over. We flirted with death almost nightly, thus we knew death could come at anytime for any of us in any form. Considering how they went, it was still hard. However, he took me in, gave me a chance to avenge their deaths, and gain closure. From that day forward, to honor their memories, I dedicated my life to fighting crime, because I know that they would be happy that I took life's lemons and made lemonade."

"Then, if he gained closure as well, why is he so brooding?" she asked.

"Well, he lived the life of the sheltered kid," he answered, "so hardships were rare for him. He was never used to being denied things. Therefore, when this happened, it hit him like a ton of bricks. He too dedicated his life to fighting crime—on his parents' graves! He does what he does out of vengeance. It is his hatred for crime that he feels denied him from a family that drives him."

"Then he is driven by obsession," she then said.

"That's about the size of it," he answered.

She thought for a moment, and then said, "Does he not see the family around him?"

"I have said the same thing for years," he answered, "and I always thought of him and Alfred as my family. I don't know why he can't see that. However, I gave up a long time ago in getting it through to him, and just dealt with it."

She though again, and then said, "Could it be then that the right connections to things have not been made?"

"Princess," he said, worried about what she was going to do next, "You may be an irresistible force, but he is the Immovable Object. If you try, you may not like how he reacts. He may forget who he is, and do something that both he and you will regret."

"If that is the case," she said, "Then something has got to give."

With that, Robin and Nightwing looked in horror as she went back over to him, and prepared to do her thing. "Oh, God," thought Robin, "There went the night!"

She walked up to Batman, who was aware of her approach, but not her intentions. Before he could say anything or react, she put her hands on the points between his shoulders and neck. For the split second before the link was made, he was enraged, and was going to let her know that this was not a welcome thing. Yet, it was only for a split second, and then he began to feel warmth and peace overcoming him. She weighed her words carefully, because she did not want to alienate him. She then said into his head, "Dearest Batman: there is no way I could ever, ever know, or comprehend, the pain that you have felt, or now feel. I do want to let you know that you are loved, and that you can have peace. I can tell you that from where your mother and father are, they are smiling, and they are proud of their son, knowing that he has done all that he can to make sure that no other little boy has to stand on a street and cry the way you did. They love you, and love how you honor their memories by not wasting your life, and making a difference for so many people, making sure that all those families you have helped stay families."

She then slid her hands across his chest, and leaned her cheek on his, pecked it, and gave him a big hug, as she rocked him back and forth. For him, it no longer seemed just her there, but it seemed like there were two others with her. Of course, she did not channel spirits, but because of how she was linked to him, it blurred the dream state with reality, and the memories of his parents took on a real state. Because of how this felt, he could no longer feel mad at her, for he knew that she only did what she did because she cared. She then said, "That was a big hug and kiss from your mom and dad, they wish you a Merry Christmas, and they are so glad that you have such a great big and loving family all around you through whom they can share the holidays with you this year, and every year. Come and join your family, dearest Batman."

She stood up, and walked away. Robin and Nightwing could not believe what they had just seen: she had done her thing, and she walked away without a word from Bruce. As she did, a call for everyone to gather by the tree for some carols was made, and Claire said, "Come on, Tutu, come and get your autoharp and join us!"

She did, and there was a place reserved for her in the makeshift band that consisted of several heroes. What she did not see was the shocked look on the faces of Robin and Nightwing when Batman lifted up the front of his cowl, took the napkin, started to wipe away the tears from his eyes, and then watched him get up, and walk to the group of singers. The band had already gone through one stanza of "White Christmas," when, at the start of the second stanza, a rich, baritone voice cut in and began to sing. The others did not stop singing, but they did look over to the source of the voice, and gazed in wonderment. Standing there, singing at the top of his lungs, and with all the gusto he could muster, was the Batman. Others in the band looked over at Tutu, but she just continued to look at the music and play, as she contentedly grinned. Robin then said to Nightwing, "Boy, Bruce was right: she can really pack a punch!"

The party was a smashing success, and as a thrill to end the night, everyone that needed one was suited up in space suits and was allowed to walk on the lunar surface. Of course, the suits that the Justice League used were far from the bulky things that the original lunar astronauts had worn, and they allowed full movement for the wearer. The Chess Knights did a few _manage _about the surface, and they were able to spin a few more times than normal on the lunar surface. Claire did a fast _grande fouette_, and then, with all her might, did a _jette_ that took her about the length of a football field, and then cleared the distance again, to which everyone applauded a soundless applause on the airless moon. Tutu then made sure that she was not seen, and then picked up and hid a moon rock. She was not going to leave without a souvenir of this trip. Of course, she could never tell anyone that she had been to the moon, but at least she would have that. After that, goodbyes were said, and they all prepared to go home. Raven then said, "Please do write often, Tutu: it is so nice to have a friend like you, who can understand me like you do, and accept me the way that you do."

"Will you be in New York the last two weeks of March?" Tutu asked, "The Secret Six will be there to do some training with some of the senior members of the JLA, so I hope we can see each other then."

"Yes, I will," said Raven, "and I cannot wait until then. Moreover, remember: when it comes time to take down this Edel woman, I want to be there. Someone has to bring back the good name of the ravens everywhere!"

They both laughed at this statement, and embraced. Tutu said, "See you then, beautiful Raven."

"See you then, Graceful Swan," Raven said in return.

The girls slept on the trip back, because their return would put them back at their homes about the time that they would be getting up from bed. This way, their families would be none the wiser about where they had been, or what they had been doing. Before she went to sleep, she pulled out the music box, and played the songs on the box as she drifted off to sleep. They were able to return to their homes quite discreetly, and were able to go into Christmas Eve as if they had never been away. "Well, I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Baby Duck," said Marvel, "and I'll pick you up at the airport when we return."

"Yep," said Ahiru, "We have the second semester."

"Are you going for the advanced class?" he asked.

"Are you?" she asked in returned.

"Of course," he answered, "are you going to be okay in putting it together?"

"Rue and I are going to work on it before we come back," she said, "and I know I can do it."

Ahiru then began to sing "The Wind beneath My Wings," to him, and kissed him. Of course, if anyone had seen this, they would have thought him some kind of a molester, not knowing the truth of things. However, because of the situation, this was perfectly normal. "Bye, Baby Duck," said Marvel.

"Bye, Rubber Ducky," said Ahiru, and he went his way. She then pulled out the moon rock, and looked at it for a few minutes, remembering the party, the new friends she had made, and the news of her past. Maybe one day, she and Rue would be able to go to Paradise Island and learn their heritage—one day.


	18. Chapter 18

**XVIII**

The second semester started with aptitude tests, and the five of the six that were not in the advance placement class were surprised that they were not placed in the advanced class, but in the advanced placement class! Since they knew that there was only a limited amount allowed in that class, they wondered how they were let in. As it turns out, five of the six already in that class were told that they would be student teachers for the rest until it was time for their classic variation tests at the end of the year, and given full credit for the effort. This meant that the six were now the AP class. The main reason was that Mr. Katt could not only ready them for careers, but also hone the act in this way. When Fakir queried if that was against school rules, Mr. Katt assured them that this was nothing wrong. This was for two reasons: one, the board thought them good enough for AP, and second, since Mr. Katt was the sole instructor for the AP class, he had the final word on who he would instruct, because he knew who would be teachable in that level of a class. Okay, so this was a bit of the bending of the rules, but he knew that these six were the best candidates for fame that the ballet school had seen in a long time, and, as a teacher, he felt the obligation to give them the uppermost attention to get them there. This class was actually in the afternoon, so they could adjust their schedules. In fact, this shortened their days some, and the other five started taking some musical theory classes to improve on their playing. The AP class would take up the last block of the afternoon, and thus, it could be as long as they needed. Thus, they did their Tai Chi at that time as a part of the class, as well as the drills that would hone them as a team. This consisted of the basics, drills, and doing things that would be done as a part of their act—both in dance and in music. For Billy, this took a load of his classes, and now he could concentrate on other things. As far as the shows go, this was left to the lower classes, because their case was a special one, and they would be doing shows on a regular basis anyway. Mr. Tawny had contacted Billy, and he loved the idea. About the second week into the semester, he came to visit, and he and Mr. Katt struck it off right away. After watching them perform a bit, Mr. Tawny said that they indeed had something, and began to ponder some ideas. He needed some kind of an engine to get them into the public eye, and then he remembered that, in Fawcett City, there was a national talent contest show called "Strut Your Stuff," and this was something they could do that would not affect their class work. If they could win that, or place high, they would have a chance. Thus, they had to come up with routines that would be fitting enough to not only show their stuff, but also good enough to win. If this happened, then they could book the second half of the summer touring the United States, as Billy had wanted. Mr. Tawny knew that a show like this would be a good test for seeing if they had something that America wanted to see. Thus, the class then went to work on putting together enough numbers to last the stretch of shows that would make up the contest. They would be ready.

As time passed, the six of them grew so close as performers, they began to know how the other acted and thought as they performed—in both music and dance. In other words, they were becoming so tight they were almost one entity: something that Mr. Katt had intended all along. One routine they had formulated was a much-augmented version of what they had did in the alumni show dealing with "Across the Universe." However, all six were to dance in this, and to add to it, they used the school's recording studio to cut a record of them singing and playing this. This could then be played as they danced, displaying both their musical and dancing skills simultaneously. By this point, Ahiru had learned to play both lead licks on the autoharp, and was becoming expert on the dulcimer. Mytho continued on the violin, and added drums to the mix. Rue added keyboard to her talent pool, and was able to add the accordion as a result, combining the best of keys and the concertina, upon which she had also learned to play quite well. The judges of that show were in for an entertaining time. In between all this, the three seniors were able to put together their classic variations much easier than what they had once thought. Because of the act, and the extra attention they were receiving, they all could have gone professional at that point. Then it came time for the tryout.

Two weeks before they were to go to New York, they were to go on "Strut Your Stuff," and try out. There was a panel of judges who were involved in the entertainment industry on one fashion or another, and there was a live audience as well. They were glad for the audience, because, if they all responded well, it would influence the judges. However, if the judges panned them, and yet the audience still responded well, then this was also fine. Mr. Tawny explained that, if the audience responded well, it showed that they did have an audience, and their appearance on the program would still propel them into what they sought, though it might take them a bit longer. They were pumped up, and were ready to put on a show. As they waited their turn to go in, there were cameras filming certain ones here and there that seemed to have something about them that made them unique. Mr. Katt and Tawny both told them to be themselves if the cameras came to them. Even if they were to cut up some, this would sell well in the public eye. They would seem approachable, and human enough for the common person to relate to them. Eventually, the camera came to them, and they began to receive questions. They explained whom they were, how they came together, and then just began to have fun. The interviewer commented on how calm they were, but Ahiru said that they all felt like they had rockets in their stomachs, but that was mostly from the excitement of just being able to entertain people once again. She said, "If everyone goes home happy and smiling, it doesn't matter what happens today!"

Mr. Tawny was able to contain his excitement, although he wanted to roar with glee. She had just said something that probably already connected with the viewing audience. They then asked who was in charge, and they all pointed to Ahiru. Rue said, "She is the youngest, 14, but she is the brains of the outfit. Billy does the music, and Mr. Katt here is our manager and choreographer, and I help in the choreography department."

"How is she the brains?" they asked.

"When we kick around ideas," said Mytho, "she just listens, and then somehow takes the best ideas, puts them together in her head, and then hits us with a bombshell. When she speaks, we say, 'enough said,' and get to work."

They all laughed at this, and the two cats were ecstatic. These kids were selling themselves to the world, and they had not even taken the stage yet! They just hoped that they would be as good on stage as well as in the interview. Then, they gave the cameras all something that would floor the entire room. Just before it was time, they all got into a circle, with Mr. Katt in the middle, and he led them in the haka. This brought the room to silence. Then they all applauded, and before they went in, the interviewer had to ask, "What was that?"

"Just our way of getting pumped up!" they said, and went in. However, Rue did not see Mytho slip something into his sack before they went in. She was going to be in for a big surprise.

It was now their turn and they all came out and took their positions. Before this, there had been a string of bad acts, and the judges looked worn out. Mr. Katt seemed worried, but Mr. Tawny assured him that this was good because, if they were as good as he himself thought; this would actually work in their favor. They have been bombarded with garbage, and they would be ready for a breath of fresh air. The one who seemed to be in charge, a well-known talent scout, said very indifferently, (not even looking up from his papers,) "Okay, who are you?"

Ahiru piped up, "We are the Pas De Six!"

Another on the panel, a female, smiled when she recognized the toe shoes, knowing that this could be interesting, and said, "Do you dance ballet?"

Billy, to joke around a bit, said, "We hope so!"

This got a laugh from the audience, causing another panel member to ask, "Are you not sure?"

Fakir then said, "Pay us well, and we'll dance the Charleston if you want!"

That got a huge laugh from the audience, considering the deadpan expression on Fakir's face when he said it. At this, the talent scout looked up, knowing that they may actually have something at that point. They were already showing a good stage presence, confidence, and even a sense of humor, despite the competitive atmosphere. Mary then said, "We also sing and play as well."

This got his attention even more. He then had to ask, "So, how do you describe your act?"

"Very well," said Rue, "at least, I _think_ we describe it well enough."

Now the panel was laughing at the cheeky comment. Mytho, returning things to a bit more of a serious tone, then said, "We are a song and dance act like you have never seen. In fact, the music we are going to dance to is going to be us singing and playing, so we hope you enjoy it!"

With that, the talent scout said, "Okay then, off you go."

They repositioned themselves, and began to dance. Normally, this number would have had certain lighting hues and changes within it. However, because it was raw talent that got one on the show, they had to make sure the dance was good enough without it. Then, if they were told to, they could then do it on the main show with all of that, taking things to a new level. Mr. Katt insured that there was enough there to dazzle any crowd. They mixed the classical and contemporary styles well as the proceeded, insuring that the panel knew that they were not some fly by night act, but a disciplined crew. By the time they were finished, the crowd thunderously applauded on their feet. This was just the shot in the arm the panel needed. The third panel member that had spoken said, "You know, after what we have seen today, you have no idea how refreshing that was to see. I never figured that ballet could look and sound like that. Do you sing live as well?"

Ahiru spoke here, and said, "Sometimes we all dance, sometimes we all sing and play, while sometimes, some of us sing, and some dance."

"Well, I can tell you this," he said, "you six already seem like a polished, professional act now. If three of you are going to be in an art school for a few more years, I cannot wait to see how that will turn out by the time you graduate. Good job!"

The second panel member who spoke then said, "How old are you: I mean, who is the youngest?"

"I am: I'm 14," said Ahiru.

"We three are all 18," said Rue.

"So, what you are telling me," she then said, "is that, this young, you are already a polished act, quite professional act. You have no idea how encouraging this is for me to see. You have so many years more and it can only get better from here. What are your names?"

"I am Ahiru Arima," said Ahiru, "this is Billy and Mary Batson, this is Mytho and Fakir Schmidt, and this is Rue Kuroah."

Finally, the talent scout spoke, and said, "You have talent in several areas, you are unique from any other act out there, and still can connect with an audience. You have wit and charm, and seem to do this for the sheer enjoyment of this, no matter what anyone thinks. This may be a bit premature, but the six of you have the potential to be the Beatles of the ballet world, and _maybe_ music if you keep it up. Certainly, you may turn children on to the form, and even prove that this is not a sissy dance form, but a form for anyone to enjoy, and even do, though they may never go into show business. Well done!"

Then the whole panel gave their approval, and said that they were all into the consideration phase of the program. They would then be called back if they decided they would be worth giving a shot to win the show. After that, Mytho then said, "I waited for this point; because I wanted to be sure what I do next did not taint your judgment, or the judgment of the audience."

He then pulled out a ring case, and got on one knee before Rue, opened it to reveal a diamond ring, and said, "Rue Kuroah, when we graduate, and before the entire nation, I ask for your hand in marriage."

Rue was in shock, trembling, and screamed, "Yes, yes, oh yes!" and they kissed and embraced right on the stage, which brought even louder cheering and applause. When they had stopped, Ahiru then said, "Thank you for your consideration. And now, let us leave the stage with proper style, and ballet decorum."

At this, they lined up, shortest to tallest, all turned stage right; put their right hands on the shoulders before them, and began to march as they swung their left arms in cadence by their sides as they sung a vaudeville exit tune. They went all the way to stage right, turned, and exited stage left as they waved at the audience. They all cheered and applauded again. They had indeed been given a treat that day. The panel even spent a few minutes chatting about what they had just seen, including the cheek that the seemingly white haired one had proposing right there on the stage. Backstage, all the others were congratulating the couple, and commenting on the chutzpah that Mytho had to ask the way he did. They all knew it was coming, but they did not expect this. Rue asked, tears of joy in her eyes, "You nut! Why did you do this now?"

He laughed, and said, "I had to be sure you would not say, 'No,' _lipshun_!" knowing that she would have said, "Yes," anyway. He just wanted it to be memorable. Mr. Katt was out of his head with joy. Mr. Tawny said, "You kids are on your way, no matter what! You now just have to wow them again, and get through to the final. If you do, I'll start booking the appearances. However, I will need approval from Ahiru's parents, because they have to approve the schedule. I do not want to burn you out, but I also want to book enough shows to establish your act."

"I've already contacted them, and they are coming. Daddy's taking some leave, because he says he wants to 'chaperone.' I think he just wants to spend time with me. That's okay. We're all set."

They were told that the callback would be in the first week of April, so they need to be ready with something just in case. Mr. Katt assured that they would be ready. However, the six had other pressing business over spring break.

They arrived in New York right on time, and they were met by Superman. "Hi, kids," he said warmly, "I hear you had a great tryout for that talent show."

"Well, they are going to broadcast it about one week before they call us back to let us know if we go on to the next round," said Ahiru.

"Great!" said Superman, "I also suggest you six make your changes, because we expect to get to work right away. We've set up some rooms in the hall, and all the principals that know your secret identities are going to be the only ones there. Therefore, if you wish to revert to your present forms, it will be okay."

They found a discreet place to change, and then Superman escorted them to the hall. Once they had all their things in their rooms, they came out to the main room where the meeting table was. Six chairs were set up on the other side, and the others were on the other. Present there was Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, and the Flash. In addition, there was Raven, at Tutu's request, and she was so glad to see her soul sister again. Superman then said, "If you will take your seats, we shall begin."

Once done, he continued, "What we are doing for the next two weeks shall be to your benefit, considering that your main foe has been quiet for months, which means she is gearing up for something big. Therefore, the training you shall be getting here will be crucial to defeating her. It is good that you have been active these few months, stopping the local crime here and there. However, as the saying goes, 'Welcome to the big leagues!' You will be going on patrols here in New York for two reasons: one, there is plenty here for you to train on, and two, one of our major foes is now trying to operate here in New York, and he has been on a spree. You shall be a great aid to us in stopping him. More on that later: for now, we are going to talk to you about what you have been doing since September and telling you how you have been doing as heroes, and how you can improve. With that, I hand the floor over to our chief strategist, Batman."

He sat down, and then Batman took the floor. "First of all," he began, "Congratulations on your engagement, and on your tryout. If you six do well in that, I am going to see what the Wayne Foundation can do about getting you a theater to perform in, so you have somewhere to continue your careers. Now, let's get down to business. You all work well together as a team, and even better since you have all had an act form as your alter egos. However, some things need to be mentioned. One thing is that you tend to get a bit sloppy from time to time. For example, the drug bust that the Chess Knights did almost cost them their lives. I think it had something to do with you possibly underestimating Van Hellmann and his resourcefulness. On the upside of that, it was good that you called the local police before engaging your targets that night. If you had not, I might not be addressing the two of you right now."

The Knights cringed at the memory. They had been sloppy, and Fakir sat at the wrong end of a .44. If Brock had not shown up when he did, it would have been all over. He continued, "Another thing to address is Tutu. I have noticed that you have rarely gone on the offensive, and then only if you had no other resort. On the one hand, your restraint in the face of danger is an asset. However, too much caution at the wrong moment could be the matter between seeing another day, and reading about you in the obits. I am sorry, princess, but you have to be more aggressive, or it might cost you your life."

This made Tutu shudder. She still had a hard time with doing harm to anyone, because she was not all about that. She would rather aid than harm. However, he did have a point, and so she asked, "So, what should I do?"

"Your Tai Chi training is good, because you can make quick work out of an opponent. The law does speak about minimal force necessary to resolve a conflict. You certainly have the capabilities to do this. Just because you may have to fight does not mean that you have to enjoy it. Claire teaching you Aikijutsu could help in this, because that involves a lot of evasion, using your opponents own weight against him, and letting your opponent do himself in. You do this fairly well already. However, combine that with the Aikijutsu, and that could become more efficient to where you would absolutely be using minimal force, and still be delivering a forceful blow. In time, you will be able to take on three attackers, and have them stumbling all over themselves. Adding in those fighting fans would make it even more efficient. Claire, on the other hand, needs to tone it down a bit. In some cases, you walk the line in your attacks. You have a lot to learn from Tutu about control and restraint: something I figured that you would already have considering your martial arts background. However, you do need to tone it down. This brings up another point: the use of deadly force. It is not written in stone somewhere that a superhero cannot use deadly force. However, there are two things to remember. First, if you ever consider the use of it, you have to be sure that you, or others, are in threat for your lives. I cannot emphasize that more. Second, the reason why any of us are reluctant to use it is that we realize the power that we wield as heroes. It is easy to begin to think of yourself more highly than you ought when you get into the habit of deadly force. I grant you, a police officer has to use it more often than any average citizen does. However, even he has to act within certain criteria. Even if he does, and even if it was quite clear that deadly force was justified, he still has to turn in his badge and gun until the board officially says that his actions were justified. As for us, knowing how much more power some of us wield, we cannot get into the habit. The bottom line of that is that we must always keep high within our hearts the value of human life. Because of my background, deadly force is a line I refuse to cross, lest I even become remotely like the scum that did in my parents. Now, in that football stadium, it was easy to justify deadly force, because this was more of a case of a threat to national security, and more lives than that poor fan that tried to be a hero were at stake. However, I do applaud your show of restraint in taking many of them alive, so that they could be questioned, and be made a public example. Yet, Claire, what you did to that mob boss was on the razor's edge of the borderline. While it is true that your lives _could_ have been at risk in that room with him, if you had not had a sympathetic police officer, you would have been in jail right now. In other words, depending on which way the wind blows, that might not have been justified. Therefore, you _must_ learn to get your emotions under control, or you may end up just as wrong as the evil you face. There is a fine line between being a superhero and a vigilante. Now, what we are going to do is split you up, and use you in different areas of the city, teamed up with some of us, so that you may learn some of the things we are talking about."

With that, Superman began to hand out the assignments, "Claire, you will be with Wonder Woman. The Chess Knights will be with Batman and Robin. Mary, you will be with me. Tutu, you and Raven will be together. Wonder Woman, you two will have Central Park, and Raven, you and Tutu will not be too far away. You two will have the theater district, near Times Square. That way, if either of you need reinforcements, you can be there for each other. Chess Knights and the Dynamic Duo, you four have the Bronx. Mary and I will cover the port. Batman will now continue, and explain the threat, who our main target is, and how we may find him."

Batman retook the floor, and this time, punched up on the computer screen the images that would help in the investigation. "We are dealing with a particular narcotic that has been wreaking havoc on the streets. It is a hallucinogenic substance is highly addictive, packaged in this green and orange wrapping, as you see here. It is so addictive, all it takes is one dose, and you are hooked. One cannot really overdose on it; however, there is a deadly effect to it. Over a matter of a couple of months, the addict's body and face begin to turn a chalky white, and the lips begin to turn a deep red. Slowly but surely, the addict begins to go insane. Because of the addictive nature of the substance, and the dissolution of the sanity, the victim has absolutely no sense to seek for help, and ends up dying in a laughing fit. By this point, the body is completely chalk white, the lips ruby red, and the face contorted into a ghastly smile, as seen here. By the packaging, and by the effect, there is only one person that this can be: the Joker."

Batman punched up his picture, and although he looked like something out of the circus, his smile still could make someone's spine tingle in fear. Tutu then said, "Is this his normal _modus operandi_?"

"Indeed, things like this are typical for him," said Batman.

"Then I do not understand," said Tutu, "Why would he so much as announce that it was him that did this?"

"I see that this is your first experience in dealing with a serial criminal," said Batman, "Someone like him is very arrogant. He or she feels his or herself to be more intelligent than the local law enforcement to the point where, though he leaves clear clues that could get him caught, he feels that they still could not catch him. Normally, this is true. The worst example is the serial killer. He will leave a trail of bodies behind him, and, sad to say, it may take many deaths before he is caught. The Joker is both a serial criminal, and serial killer. He is a reprobate of the first degree. He kills indiscriminately, and feels absolutely no remorse. He especially loves to do things that taunt me, because I am his biggest challenge: of all the supers around, I was the first to figure him out, and catch him somewhat easily. Now, the JLA all know his ways, and he loves doing all he can to figure out how to thwart us, for no other reason then to simply taunt us."

Mary spoke at this point, and asked, "Then, why is anyone even trying to buy this. I mean, even drug addicts know better than to go after a product like that."

"That is the trick behind it," said Batman, "At first, it is disguised as another drug for the first few doses. Then, the dealers can be more open with its sale, once they know they have their victim hooked. If the victim tries to take too much, all it does is increase the euphoric state, and accelerate the process towards death. Because of the way it kills, the product is called 'Happy Face' by the addicts on the street. Believe me, there is nothing 'happy' about it!"

White Knight then chimed in, and said, "This must mean then that those dealing in the stuff are not the normal dealers."

"Good eye," said Batman, "That does help us narrow down the field a bit. However, they do cover their tracks well. Therefore, what should we be looking for?"

Black Knight thought for a moment, and then said, "We should be looking for some kind of a gang that looks like they are being 'bankrolled' to do this."

"Very good start," said Batman, "What else?"

Claire then said, "If they are bankrolled, then we have to look for a hand of organized crime behind it."

"You guys have been working on your detective skills," said Batman, "It certainly shows!"

Tutu said, "Experience with this since September has taught us much. It is sad to say that some of that has been the hard way."

"Well, that is not the most fun way to learn," said Batman, "but it is indeed the most effective. Thus, what is the next step: now think about the places where we are going tonight?"

Mary thought, "We are going to look for some organized crime that may be running on the docks."

"Excellent," said Batman, "But you are going to be looking for some rival mobsters that may look for a chance to get back at one another."

"How then can we know which group to go after?" she asked.

"That's where we and the Chess Knights come into play," said Batman, "because we will be hitting the spot where the heaviest use is: the Bronx. If we can find a gang dealing in it, and bankrolled, we can start there."

Tutu thought for a minute, and then asked, "So, what do we look for in Times Square?"

"Since you have that counseling nature," said Batman, "you are a natural to work with some of the addicts that live there. I grant you, the previous mayor did much to clean up that area, but that is not to say that it has been cleaned up completely. If you can find one, help him or her, and then find out who has been dealing to him or her, we can then make a connection, and then move in."

"Then, what do we look for?" said Claire.

"This is where your feminine charm comes in," he said, "because there is a pimp that works the area, and he may have some information for us about underworld connections, especially if he works for a rival group that stands against the one bankrolling the dealing. I guarantee you; the hands of the Joker will be all over this mob group. Your appearance may get his attention right away, and he may offer to have you join his harem. Then you can do what you can to get the information out of him. If all goes well, we can peg who is behind it, where they are being supplied, shut it down, and then go in for the big prize."

"Will I not stand out in Times Square?" asked Tutu.

"Hey, kid," said Flash, "This is New York City: you could walk down the street dressed as the Jolly Green Giant, and no one would say a word to you, especially there. They may think you are advertising for the Met, and that will allow you to move about unhindered: the main reason why we wanted you and Raven to go there."

Superman then spoke, and said, "Also, the main reason it is just you five, is because Captain Marvel has been through all this, and he will be here observing your actions in reserve. If it gets bad for any of us, he and the Flash will be there—no pun intended—in a flash. Thus, you all have your missions, so get some rest, because it could be a long night."

As everyone awoke, they either changed clothes or changed form, and prepared for the evening. They reported to their respective tutors, and prepared to face the evening. When the Chess Knights reported to Batman, he had a couple of surprises. "The first thing that I need to know," asked Batman, "is do you two wear any kind of body armor?"

"Body armor?" asked White Knight.

"No, we do not," said Black Knight.

"I figured not," said Batman, "I didn't think that you would be able to afford such things. Thus, I took the liberty."

He then produced two sets of upper body armor. It was not what the average police officer would wear, because it was designed to provide full protection, and still allow full mobility. They were able to fit these under their tunics easily, and then Batman had another surprise. "You'll need these," he said. With that, he produced two belts—one white, and one black—with several pockets. "Although I question the color of your uniform, White Knight, you have done well so far, so that won't be questioned. However, every crime fighter like us needs the tools contained in these belts. I have the basic kits right here. You have the following: grappling hooks with a launching system and cable, handcuffs, magnesium flash pellets, tear gas pellets, smoke screen pellets, flashlight, magnifying glass, listening cones, slots for your swords and communicators, sample tubes and tweezers, rubber gloves, gas mask, lock picks, small amounts of C-4, blasting caps, and a leather man."

Both boys were staggered at the amount of things contained in the belts. He then said, "There are also open pockets for storage of things you may find, and things that you may find useful as tools."

The boys put them on, and they prepared to leave. Black Knight rode in the Batmobile, and White Knight rode with Robin on his cycle. Meanwhile, Mary and Superman both flew off to the docks. "Captain Marvel says that he has taught you much about controlling your abilities," said Superman.

"He sure has," she said, "and at first, I thought, 'What's the big deal?' but I sure learned otherwise!"

"Give me an example," he said.

"Well," she pondered, "I remember our battle with Mr. Mind. I was in such a hurry to get here that I overshot New York by about 40 miles."

"So stopping was a problem?" he asked.

"At first it was," she said, "But I have learned much in the way of control since that point."

"Good," he said, "Then you'll understand what I am about to say. Because we three—you, Captain Marvel, and I—are three of the most powerful heroes in the world, we have to be able to show restraint in all things. It is so easy for us to say, 'No one on earth can harm us, and we should be able to do what we want,' but that is dangerous. If we ever get like that, we will get sloppy, do something foolish, and run into the one villain that has our names tattooed on his or her forehead. Though you do not have weakness as you are right now, when you are your normal self, you are perfectly human. At that point, you are quite vulnerable, and you cannot stop disaster from happening, especially if you cannot say, 'Shazam.' Therefore, using minimal force is one of the most important things for us, and one of the hardest things to learn. Keep that in mind."

"So, what are we looking for right now?" she asked.

"We are going to await word as to which crime family is involved," he said, "and in the meantime, we will be observing the actions of the trucks coming and going out of the port here, seeing if we cannot stumble on a target of opportunity."

Thus, they continued their patrol. At that time, Claire and Wonder Woman were arriving in Central Park. "Our job is going to be easier," said Wonder Woman, "All we have to do is extract information from our target, and see if it matches up with what everyone else may have found."

"What if our informant will not talk?" asked Claire.

"This is where we have to find more persuading means," said Wonder Woman, "and also be able to show the most restraint. The man we seek to contact will seem repulsive, considering who and what he is, and so, if he resists, it would be easy to give in to the wish to throttle him. We cannot do that. First, the law stands in our way. We do have to respect the law. Second, he may lie to us, just to stop the beating. That then will absolutely put a fly in the ointment."

"I suddenly wish Tutu was with us," said Claire, "She has a way of getting this kind of information without force."

"I know," said Wonder Woman, "this is why we split you up. You have to learn to extract this kind of information without that kind of help. You may not have her around all the time, and so you are stuck. However, because we do need this information, and you just cannot make any headway, I have a way."

She then patted her hip where the lasso sat. "Yes, this will be an interesting evening," thought Claire.

Raven had her own way of getting places, and, unlike Claire, she could take others with her. They appeared in Times Square without incident, right in an alley where they could not be seen arriving. Raven flashed a rare smile, and said, "Come on, let's go!"

"No one is going to say anything?" asked Tutu.

"This is New York City, honey!" she exclaimed, "There is nothing that these people have seen that would make them think of you strangely."

Thus, they stepped out, and it was true: no one even paid them any mind, except the occasional proposition from a passing man, he thinking that they had another purpose. Tutu was taken in by all the sights and lights, but it was not entirely unfamiliar to her. Raven asked, "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"In Tokyo," she said, "it is very much the same."

"Except here, you can read the signs!" joked Raven.

"You seem so happy," said Tutu, "You do not seem the brooding girl that I met last winter."

"Around you, I feel so comfortable," said Raven, "You are not judgmental. You are very accepting."

"Everyone needs love," said Tutu, "even you! Who cares about your past! Your old nemesis has been vanquished, has he not?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then what is there to fear about you?" Tutu asked, "You have taken what one has meant for the bad, and you turned it to good. In that, there is nothing of which to be ashamed."

Raven hugged her, and said, "I tell you, I want to be there to help you in your final fight. A raven fighting a raven: who would have thought?"

They giggled, as if they were there to have fun, and not on a mission. As they passed by, they saw a middle-aged fellow out on the street, guitar case open, playing for anyone passing by. He was just finishing a song when they walked up. "Why hello," he said, all warm and friendly, "And have you come to entertain as well?"

Tutu said, "Not really, however, I have a friend that used to do what you do. I just want you to know that you should keep playing: one day, it will be big for you!"

"Why thank you, ma'am!" he exclaimed, "You give a man hope. Say, let me play something for you, and let's see you dance. You seem dressed for it."

"I'd love to!" she exclaimed. With that, he started to play the song "On Broadway." She began to dance to it, and that began to attract a crowd. He began to sing with fervor he had not felt in ages, and it added to the scene. Soon, his case was being filled up with more money that night than he had seen all week. When he finished, the crowd loudly applauded, as he bowed, and she curtsied. He then said, "Thank you, folks! I'll be taking a short break for about ten minutes, and then I'll be back."

He then turned his attention to the two girls as the crowd broke up, and he said, "The cops say that I have to do that every fifteen minutes or so. I have to keep the crowds moving, lest I create a hazard, or set up someone to get his pocket picked. Wow! I haven't seen cash like that in ages! Thank you…ah, what's your name?"

"My name is Princess Tutu," she said, to which he responded, "Now that seems like a fitting name."

Just as he was saying that, the three of them saw out of the corners of their eyes a young girl in tattered clothes, with a very pale face, rushing to a nearby alley. He shook his head, and said, "Poor girl! She got into that Happy Face stuff, though she did not know that it was that at first. Now she can't stay away from it."

This was just what the girls had been looking for, and Tutu said, "Thank you for reciprocating help just now! She is actually someone that we just may be looking for."

"Why are you looking for someone like her?" he asked.

"Tonight, a life is going to be changed for the better," said Raven, "Hope the best for us."

The girls approached the alley, and saw that the effects of Happy Face were taking a deadly root. She was incessantly giggling from time to time, with a crazed look on her face, white face, and red lips. She was opening up the packaging, and it revealed—of all things—a chocolate! Apparently, this was the delivery method. She prepared to eat it, when a hand reached out and slapped it away. "No!" said Tutu, "Please, do not do this anymore! There are people that do care about you!"

For a moment, she looked enraged. However, she then began to laugh as if someone had told her a funny joke, and she started to go for the drug on the ground. She was so far gone, it could have fallen in the garbage, and she still would fetch it out and ate it! Tutu swiftly stepped in front of it, took the fifth position in her feet, and then the fourth to knock the hand away as she tried to reach around to get the candy. She stopped laughing, and then took a desperate look to her, and said, "Please, I must! The itches: I have to have it!"

"You poor child," said Tutu sympathetically, "Let me help you! I dance to guide your heart."

Raven watched with keen relish, wanting to watch what it was that she had heard so much about. Tutu did her normal gesture, and bent into an arabesque as she reached out her hand. Somehow, the woman was seeing humor in the whole situation, but was also expressing what was really inside her as she began to laugh, as if to say, "There is no help for me."

Yet, she took her hand anyway, thinking it all a joke. Suddenly, her laughter left her face as they made the link and the session started. However, as Tutu tried to start, it seemed like, in their minds, that they were dancing in a fog. The each of them could see the other's silhouette, but they could not see face-to-face. Tutu figured that this had something to do with the mental haze that narcotics created. "I see your outline, and you dance so divinely, but I cannot see you! Why will you not show yourself to me?"

"I see the same thing," she said, "Why not show yourself to me?" and she began to laugh. Raven saw the plodding way the dance was progressing, and she figured that something was wrong. As the woman bent backwards, both hands holding Tutu's, one leg stretched straight out, Raven put her hands on her head, so that she could be involved. In the minds of them, Raven appeared with a golden aura about her, as if to be a guiding light. "Ah," said Tutu, "I see you would like to dance as well."

"Maybe," said Raven, "But I think we need to clear the fog. Let me help."

Externally, Raven began to put her healing powers to work. The first thing that she did was to purge out any of the narcotic that was in her body that was leaving the lingering effects that shown in her skin and face. She began to clean out all the pores and cells of her body from the drug. She then began to restore the chemical balance in her that should have been there before she started taking the drug, so that she would suffer no withdrawal symptoms. Mentally, it was as if Raven was the sun, burning off the fog. After that, it showed as if the whole place were covered in dirt and dust. However, Raven began to call up a breeze to blow it all away. Now the place looked clean and pristine. In fact, it did not seem like an alley any more. It looked like a flower-filled field. Raven then said, "There, that should help you," and she turned to walk away. However, Tutu said, "Oh, please do not go! Dance with us!"

"But, I don't know how to dance like that," she said.

"That is okay," said Tutu, "Just dance how you feel."

Thus, Raven joined the dance, liked how she felt, and loved what she saw. Tutu asked the woman, "You do this so well! Tell me, were you a ballerina?"

"Yes," she said.

"What happened?" asked Tutu.

"I got hurt," she said, "I have a notable limp, and I cannot dance. But how am I doing it now?"  
"In your heart," said Tutu, "you can do as you please. If you were a ballerina, you never forget what you know in your heart. This is why you can dance now!"

"No one wanted a gimped dancer," she said, "and dancing is all I know. I wanted to teach, but no one would take me as a teacher. I ran out of money, and I ended up here."

"But why the drugs," asked Raven, "You know what that would lead to."

"I was desperate," she said, "I wanted to escape the pain."

"But, my dear sister of dance," she said, "you cannot escape pain like that, it only covers it. If it builds enough, then no longer shall you cover it. Taking more will not change things. You need to do what you know to do, and teach."

"Who would take me now?" she asked.

"Funny you should ask that," said Tutu, "because I know someone that may help. Have you ever heard of Kinkan?"

"Isn't that the renowned school of the arts?" she asked, "I would love to teach there. But how would they take me with this kind of background?"

"My friends know one Gustaph Katt," said Tutu, "If we can convince him, we can get you in. Remember, it is never too late to start over. Believe me: I know this well!"

"Yes," she exclaimed, "I want that so bad! I want to come back!"

The dance ended with a group hug, right there in the alley, and Tutu said, "Come with us. We can give you a place to stay, and then we can introduce you to my friends."

However, there was to be a bit of resistance before they went on their way.

They had not walked more than a block, when a youth came out of the crowd, looking quite cross. He had all the markings of someone in a gang, wearing a New York Yankees jersey quite prominently. He had seen this woman, (whom the girls had learned was named Tanya,) walking out with normal flesh, escorted by what looked like two show people, and he did not like the sight. He was her dealer, and he was not too positive about losing a payday. Therefore, he was going to have a few words with those ladies, and straighten the matter out. "Yo," he said, "What up wit dis?"

"Oh God," said Tanya, "its Joey!"

"Who is he?" asked Tutu.

"He's the dealer that I've been buying from," she answered, "Joey, go away!"

"How did you change yo' looks so fast?" he asked.

"I suggest you leave now before you get hurt!" snapped Raven.

He then called her the derogatory term for a female dog, and then told her to mind her own business, and told her, (with more colorful metaphors,) to get out of the way.

"I do not appreciate such fowl language, young man," said Tutu, "Leave her alone. She does not want what you have anymore."

"Yo!" he exclaimed, "You ain't takin' no payday from me," and called her the dog word again. At that, he whipped out a switchblade, and intended to put it to Tutu's throat, just to get the point across. His main intent was to scare them off, and then re-addict—by force, if necessary—Tanya to Happy Face. However, he did not have long to ponder this, as Raven reached out, and snatched the blade from his hand by the flat of the blade between her palms. Knowing he was in trouble, he slapped it out of her hand, and that was the last thing he was to remember before he regained consciousness in a jail cell. Tutu, due to her flexibility as a dancer, gave him a standing side roundhouse kick, using the point of her toe shoe to add impact. She remembered what she had heard: minimal force needed, and end it quickly. Fortunately, a police officer was nearby, and quickly took control of the situation. Once he learned the JLA connections, he backed off, and handcuffed the dealer. He then received a statement from the three ladies, and let them go. They would then go somewhere to get her a good cup of coffee, and then to report into Captain Marvel to say what they had learned.

They went to a coffee shop, and they were about to turn Tanya away when the girls followed up behind. Tutu, with her gentle demeanor, was able to explain the situation to the proprietor, and convince him to let her be served with them while the tended to their business. The shopkeeper then allowed them to have some standard drip on the house, and they contacted Marvel. They explained the situation, and then told of Tanya's plight. Flash then told them to keep her with them, and they would find a proper shelter for her until better means could be found. Marvel then also volunteered to buy her some proper clothes and hygiene products later that night. By Tanya, they were also able to find out that that gang that had been fronting as the dealers was a gang called the Bronx Bombers. They worked mainly out of the Bronx, but also worked in Queens. They informed Batman of this, and then he said that they would do a bit of work in Queens that night, and then work over to the Bronx in hopes that they may not raise suspicions of their true intent: find out who has been supplying them with the drugs to distribute. In addition, that would also be good side training for the boys should they stumble across any other kinds of crime being committed. Batman could then see how they boys would handle themselves. In the meantime, he told the girls a particular street to which to take Tanya, and that there was a Wayne Foundation sponsored shelter there. He said that they would be awaiting them, and then, once dropped off, to go back to Times Square for some general superhero work, (busting crooks, rescuing people, etc.) for a couple of hours, and then to call it a night. These things they did, and then went back to work. The rest of the evening was somewhat eventful, as they were able to stop a corner store robbery, and save some people from an old apartment building on fire. After that, they went back to the hall, and called it a night.

About this time, the foursome was in Queens, and Batman got on the police band to inform the local precincts that they would be operating within them. With thanks for the heads up, they said for them to stay in contact in case there was something bigger they ran into that could not be handled by just the four of them. Batman then said, "You always contact the local precinct when you operate, so that they can either send for help if needed, or you can ask for help in a situation greater than what you can handle. You also do this to prevent walking into a police situation, and foiling a collar that they may be making. Your actions may actually spoil the collar, rather than aid it. In that case, you only act when you have clear permission. Now, let's get to the rooftops and see what develops as we patrol."

The boys learned quickly that patrolling was not exactly what one would call action packed. One thing that they learned is that crime is not a constant thing, and that, if they wanted to catch anything, they would have to keep on the move. They spent fifteen to twenty minutes in one place or another, looking for action. Black Knight was forced to ask, "Has there ever been nights where you have seen nothing?"

Batman answered, "It is rare, but it does happen. Those are good nights. The best nights are the ones you do not have to do anything. On those nights, you don't have to worry about not going home in one piece, if at all. However, it's not so good when you are looking for something or someone specific, like tonight."

"And what are we looking for?" asked White Knight.

"Drug deals," said Batman, "and specifically, any drug deals that involve any dealers wearing a lot of Yankees gear. Now, I grant you, this is New York City, and just about everyone in this area, especially in the Bronx, are Yankees fans. Their choice of gang colors was quite creative, considering that trying to find anyone that is truly a part of the gang would be the same as trying to find the needle in the proverbial haystack."

"We're also looking for any other crimes to bust up," added Robin, "If we catch that, consider it a bonus."

Just as he said that, Robin piped up and said, "Speaking of which…Batman, below, two o'clock: a car jacking."

"Good eye," said Batman, and then he looked at the boys, and said, "That's a simple thing: see if you two can handle it."

"What do we do first?" asked Black Knight.

"Use stealth, of course," said Batman, "and don't just jump them. It could be someone who locked their keys in their car. That's highly unlikely here in Queens, but you have to give the benefit of the doubt. Warn them, and watch how they react. If they try to run, get them. There are two of them, so get to either side of the car. Use the darkness around."

With that, they lowered themselves down by the cables, and Black Knight took the passenger side. The two car jackers were now inside, trying to hotwire the car. White Knight already detected that this was no locked key situation, and nodded to Black Knight. They both approached the car, and Black Knight said, "Good evening, gentlemen: having car problems?"

The two boys stopped, and looked up quickly, thinking that it was the police. They saw the Knights, and then realized that it may be superhero problems—even worse! However, they were experienced, and they were not going down without a fight. Yet, as Batman watched, he saw that they were getting too close to the car, and he tensed up, ready for action. If what he thought would happen did happen, he would have to move quickly. Black Knight said, "Now, slowly, let me see your hands, and come out of the car."

However, White Knight sensed first what the two men were doing, and swiftly jumped back from the car door. Before Black Knight could figure out why, both car doors opened quickly, and the one on his side struck him hard, knocking him to the ground. On the driver's side, the jacker began to pull a pistol, but White Knight anticipated this, and swiftly kicked the gun hand into the door. He then grabbed the man by the collar and hurled him out of the car. He went for a knife, but before he could use it, White Knight caught him in a Tai clinch, and gave him about three knees. He was stunned on the first blow enough not to be able to use the knife, and the last two knocked him clean out. While all this was going on, Black Knight was trying to collect himself enough to act, but his assailant already had his gun on him, and he was aiming at his head. "Ha! Some superhero you are!" he said, and prepared to fire. Yet, before he could, there was a loud "thud" that sounded like a bat on a coconut. He crumpled to the ground unconscious. Black Knight watched him fall, as he also watched a Batarang land right beside his assailant. Batman and Robin descended, and Batman contacted the local precinct, who told him that a car would be by in a couple of minutes. White Knight was already to the other side of the car, after cuffing the other man, to see if his brother was all right. Black Knight was a bit rattled, considering that, this was the second time in a matter of months he was looking down the wrong end of a pistol, and it almost cost him his life. In both instances, had not help come when it did, he would have been done for. Batman said, "Alright, you two: time for an after action review. Come here, please."

As they gathered, a squad car arrived. After giving a brief statement, and taking away the two men, they talked. "Everything was fine until you approached the car. You got too close to the car. You need to make a quick assessment of things and anticipate what could go wrong before you approach! Do either of you play chess?"

"We both do," said White Knight.

"Then, approach things like this as if you were playing chess," said Batman, "because, if I had not been here, your brother would be dead right now and maybe you as well if you were not able to subdue him! Another thing: you must always assume your target has a firearm, because by not doing so, you may end up like this, and like the time before."

Black Knight hung his head, knowing that, in both instances, he failed to do this. Batman then asked him, "What surprises me is that you didn't seem to apply what you learned with that Van Hellmann character. I figured the two of you would have had a better head on your shoulders."

Black Knight said, "We have been quite nervous. We did not know what to expect, and we have been scared about what would happen if we made a mistake."

Batman saw that he was rattled, and said, "It's all right, son: we all have to learn. You are still new at this, and what I have learned has often come the hard way. However, if you are nervous around me, think about the dance teachers the two of you have faced. You handled the pressure in that throughout your time. Just think of this as just another dance class. It's just that here, your "partners" hit back and hit hard. Therefore, take what I say as Gospel, because I speak from years of experience. However, White Knight, how did you know how to hop back the way you did?"

"In addition to being a healer," said White Knight, "I am an empath. I sensed the shift in his emotions, and sensed he was going to act quickly. It was then I quickly assessed that he would try to open the door, and so I moved before I was hit."

"If that is the case," said Batman, "then you have to use that ability to the benefit of the both of you. Come up with a sign language of some sort to communicate those things. You two dance ballet, correct? Do you not have hand signals that you use to speak?"

"Yes sir," said Black Knight.

"Then use what you know to your best ability," said Batman, "A little communication could have prevented this. Okay, let's shake this off, and keep on patrol. Just relax, because I am here to help. Be yourselves, and go with the flow."

They then shot their grapples, and returned to the rooftops.

While they scoped out the area, the Knights quietly discussed the different hand signals they knew, and added a few. They knew that, in time, they could come up with an elaborate language that would aid them in their fight. About 45 minutes after the bust they had just done, they came across what they had been looking for. In the distance, they saw what looked like the start of some kind of a drug deal. However, before they moved in, Batman said, "Now, what would you look for to know if this is what we are looking for?"

White Knight answered, "Look for the Yankees gear on the one doing the deal."

"Good start," said Batman, "Is that all?"

"No," said Black Knight, "We look to see if indeed he is the dealer, and look at the person doing the buying."

He then turned his attention to Robin, and said, "And what would you look for in the buyer?"

Robin though for a second, and then said, "Easy: look for the slowly developing Joker face on the buyer. Come on, Batman, you know that was easy!"

Batman laughed, and said, "Just seeing if you were on your toes. So, let's take a look."

However, White Knight already anticipated what needed to happen next, and had his binoculars out. He saw them talking, and saw the buyer. Just as they were looking for, he had a chalky white face, and the red lips. He looked far gone, and looked close to the end. The dealer indeed was wearing a Yankees hat and jersey, and he may have well been the one they had been looking for. Black Knight then said, "It looks dark around them. Would we not want to see if there was someone keeping watch in the shadows?"

Batman was pleasantly surprised, and smiled that he was catching on quickly. "You learn fast," he said.

"They would take away my license to be German if I did not learn how to be efficient!" joked Black Knight. Batman then asked, "Okay then, what now?"

"Let us stay on the rooftops, and approach that way," said White knight.

"Very good," said Batman, "and let's go."

They got over the roof area where the deal was going down, and they were able to glimpse the packaging: Happy Face. "Jackpot," said Robin. "Now we have to assess if there are others."

However, the empathy of White Knight was already noticing it, and he said, "There are, and, there are about six of them, spread out."

Batman then said, "On your specs, there is a night vision setting, on the left side, first switch. Flip them on."

They did as they were bidden, and each of the six was covering a different approach to the area. "They are experienced," said Batman, "which means that making an approach will be difficult."

"Then we attack from the center, where they would not expect it," said White Knight.

With that, they lowered themselves down into the middle of them, and approached silently. They quickly subdued the guards, making sure that none of them cried out before they could take them out. However, the dealer somehow began to feel awkward, and "just didn't like the vibes." He turned to his nearly insane client, and said, "Hurry up, fool, and just give me the money!"

"You get nothing," said a gruff voice from the darkness, and out of the shadows came a sight that nearly made him soil his underwear. He was against a wall, so there was no running away. He thought about pulling his gun, but then he saw how close they were, and that two of them had healthy sized blades in their hands, drawn, and at the ready. If he flinched, he knew that they would be on top of him before he could pull. Batman then said, "Get your hands against the wall, slowly."

He did as he was bidden, now frightened out of his wits, especially with the one that looked like a bat. He had heard legends about the Batman from friends in Gotham, but he never thought he would run into him. Robin was already searching him, extracting his pistol, and any other weapons he possessed, all the while covered by the swords of the Knights. "He's clean now," said Robin, and Batman picked him up with one hand, and pinned him to the wall. He tried to kick him in the chest, and hurt his foot on the Kevlar. "Dumb move, punk!" said Batman, "Now I want to know where you get your supplies, and I want to know now!"

"Bobby, Mick, where are you, man?" he said, terrified.

"Oh, you mean your friends back there?" asked White Knight, "They are taking a short nap right now."

He cursed, and said, "I don't know nuthin'! I just get the stuff, and sell it!"

"Oh really?" said Batman, "You have to get it somewhere. Where do you get this?"

"Okay," he said, "I get it out in Heights. 'You happy now?"

White Knight already sensed the shift in his heart rate and breathing, and knew that he would not have the skill to lie and not to be detected in doing so. "He lies," said White Knight, angrily.

Batman then said, "Take care of that addict, but keep me informed."

He pulled the punk face to face with him, and said through his teeth, "I…don't…like…liars! TALK!"

A puddle began to form below, and Batman loved it when they lost control like this. This meant that he would do anything to avoid whatever he thought Batman had in mind. He squealed, "All right, all right! It's in the Bronx: the main distro center. It's not to far from the stadium! Please, don't hurt me!"

"What street?" demanded Batman, but the kid passed out from fear. Batman let him drop like a sack of potatoes. "I hate it when they do that," he said, "Robin, did you find anything when you searched the others?"

"Sure did," said Robin, "and it looks like they made a big mistake if they wanted to conceal themselves."

He handed Batman a bus schedule that led by the stadium, and ended not too far from there. Apparently, this was a line that was used frequently by one of the gang, and Batman was aware that there had been some schedule changes. If they had their headquarters and/or the main distribution point there, it would not be too far from the start, considering the proximity to the stadium. "We have what we need. Robin, did you already report…?" said Batman, but Robin interjected, saying, "…this to the police? I sure did: they have a wagon coming."

"Then, we'll send this report in to the others, and then we will continue to do general patrols for a couple of more hours, just to give the two of you the experience. Good job, you two."

Meanwhile, White Knight was working on the addict. He had heard how Raven had purged the drug from Tanya's system, so that is what he did. It took him longer, because this man's addiction was greater. However, the white began to fade from his face, and a white, milky substance began to sweat out of his pores. He then did as Raven, and began to restore his chemical balance to normal. White Knight saw that he was back to normal, but not quite. Like a man that had done drugs for years who had recovered, his speech was slurred, and his thought process was not quite fluid. He thanked White Knight, but he did not know what he should do next. Batman asked if he had any family around that would take him in, and he said that he did. At this, he told Robin to take that man to those people, and then to catch up after. Then Batman said, "If there were six others, this was a distribution sub-center, which means they were also waiting for some Happy Face to distribute themselves. If this man knows where the main point is, then that means we scored one of the gang's lieutenants. I hope that New York's Finest can get more information out of him. This also means that we must at least stick around until the wagon shows up; if the main distribution truck comes, and they run into the cops, it could get ugly, and complicate things."

However, as he spoke, the wagon did indeed show up. Thus, Batman took the opportunity to tell the police of the situation, and that they needed to leave the place with no trace that anything happened here, except that their contacts were gone. This way, they would not blow the collar, and the acquisition of the main target: the Joker. Once done, the police made quick work, and made sure that no trace was left behind. With that, they resumed patrolling.

Wonder Woman and Claire were in Central Park, and received the information about what had thus far been discovered. They then began to press their phase of that evening's mission. "So, what's on the agenda for us?" asked Claire.

"We're actually looking for a pimp, of all things," answered Wonder Woman.

"Okay, I'm confused here," she said, "Why would we be looking for a pimp?"

"Well, normally, I look at people like him, and I want to tear them apart," said Wonder Woman, "They are normally slave drivers who keep their girls hooked on drugs, give them the bare minimums to survive, take almost all their money, beat them, things of that nature."

"What's different about this one?"

"This one actually has a good sense of business. He says he runs an 'escort service,' and claims that his girls do what they want: he cannot control what they do as an escort. He also makes sure that his girls are well taken care of, because he knows that, if he offers a good product, people will come back. This means that he has a high-class clientele. He also pays his girls well, because, first, he has many that work for him. Thus, he does not have to take nearly as much from them as other pimps would. They do what they do, because they know that prostitution is illegal; and if they wrong their girls, to whom are they going to run? However, he knows that happy girls are productive girls, so he makes sure that they live well enough. Therefore, these girls are not necessarily doing what they do because they feel they have no other recourse in life. He makes sure they are checked out by doctors, provide a good product, and, (though this seems odd to say,) they enjoy their jobs. It seems odd to say that he is a 'good' pimp, but there you have it."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"Because he gets more work than the other pimps, and because of his clientele, they all despise him, and would like to shut him down. Therefore, we, that is, the Justice League, are in an awkward position of having to protect him for the sake of those girls, for there is no telling what would happen to them after. They are clean, disease free group of girls, and they don't need things to go south for them. I would hope that they would eventually come out of that, but you cannot force someone to do something they do not want to do."

"What kind of information would he have?"

"He would know of mob connections, because some of his girls 'escort' some of these mobsters. However, some of them hold the strings of some of the 'bad' pimps, and supply them with girls. Yet, this man cuts into their business, and so he is on some of their hit lists. If one of those mob families that are out for him are involved with Happy Face, he would be more than happy to spill the beans, and we can then see if we can make a connection between that family, and the Bronx Bombers."

They strolled a bit more through Central Park, when they came across a man dressed in a fine Armani suit, wearing a fedora, sporting a goatee, cordovan wing tip shoes, speaking on a cell phone. They came in on the tail end of a conversation that went something like this, "…can't do it like that. I told you, these girls are escorts: I don't know how 'good' they are in that aspect. You have to ask her. Hey, if it goes there, it goes there—that's her choice. Yeah, I know what some of the others have said. Yes, believe me, if you act like a gentleman, there's no telling…wait, excuse me. I have someone here I need to speak to. Yeah, just look at the brochure, and get back to me on who you want to escort you. Yeah, call me in about a half hour, and we'll see what we can do."

He closed the cell phone, and said, "Man, some people just don't get it. You should hear some of the things they request."

Of course, Wonder Woman knew that this man, in truth, told his girls to turn tricks with his clients, but he also told them to make it seem like that is what they wanted to do anyway, so that way, the police stay out of his hair, and theirs as well. However, there was no real way to shut down his operation, because he was so clever about it, and no one could ever prove that his girls were really told to do these things. "Hello, Wonder Woman: what brings you…" and he trailed off when he caught sight of Princess Claire. "Well, well, well: who have we here?" talking suave, and in a gentleman-like fashion. He took her hand, and kissed it. "A man of manners I see," said Claire, "I am the Black Swan, Princess Claire."

"All right, Mr. Smooth," said Wonder Woman, "She's not that kind of girl."

"Aw, come on now, Wonder Woman:" he said, "can't a man greet a beautiful young lady without having you thinking that I'm propositioning her?"

"If you think that I wish to be an escort," said Claire, "guess again. In reality, we are on JLA business."

"Oh, I see," said the pimp, (named Warren,) "You have a trainee here."

"That's right," said Wonder Woman, "And I sure do hope that your 'escorts' are doing well."

"As always," he answered with a bow.

"Good," said Wonder Woman, "Just hope that it stays that way," and Warren caught the hint. She continued, and said, "In reality, we are trying to find out what you know about Happy Face."

He leaned back, affecting a serious look on his face, and said, "Whoa, that stuff's bad news! Hey, you know my employees are clean girls."

"I know that," said Wonder Woman, "that is not what I am asking you about. What do you know about the Bronx Bombers?"

"I have season tickets," answered Warren, "I don't miss a game!"

"We refer to the gang," said Claire, affecting a knowing look.

"Oh, **those** Bronx Bombers," he said, "Yeah, they're bad news."

"Do they deal drugs?" asked Wonder Woman.

"They sure do," said Warren, "Everyone knows that."

"Do they deal in Happy Face?" asked Claire.

"Hmm…" uttered Warren, and then he said, "You know, come to think of it, I've heard from a few sources that they are involved in that stuff."

Now they had to be careful, because they did not want to hint that they were after any mob family that may be involved as well. They did not want to lose this contact if one of them happened to be some of his customers. Wonder Woman then asked, "Are they making it, or are they being supplied?"

Warren thought for a moment, and then said, "As a matter of fact, they may have some help, and from 'above the law' kind of people. In fact, I think it's the Torricelli family."

"Isn't that a family on their way out?" asked Wonder Woman.

"Oh yeah," said Warren, "and I cannot wait! They have been a nuisance: they harass my girls, threaten my life, and try even to kidnap some of them! They hurt business! Man, if I could only get rid of them!"

"Well, if what you say turns out to be true," said Wonder Woman, "you may have just helped in hastening that."

"What can I do?" he said, now genuinely excited about the prospect.

"If you find out anything on them, call," said Wonder Woman, "There are forces behind them that may be driving things, and that 'force' is even more bad news than the Torricelli family."

"In fact, I can get my escorts to keep their ears open," said Warren, "They seem to be able to charm things out of people, and so I could find out quickly."

"Well then, thank you," said Claire. However, she stopped short, and looked over his shoulder. Two thugs seemed to be harassing a scantily clad, but otherwise well-dressed, young woman, and she was having none of it. They all turned to see what was going on, and Warren said, "That's Margaret: and just what do they think they are doing?"

He began to approach, and said, "Oh, no they don't"

However, he didn't need to worry, because Claire had already did a grand jette over the top of them, and landed before the three. "Look, ho, jus' give it up. We got the scratch," and they were treating her like a common streetwalker, and she was having none of it. "Leave me alone!" she yelled, "Warren!"

However, Clare stood before them, and snapped, "The young lady said to leave her alone!"

The punk then requested that she leave, using a few choice adverbs, and questioned what species she was a member of, calling her what animal he felt her to be. His buddy then agreed that she leave, stating that this was none of her business, and then questioned her profession, calling her what _he_ felt her to be. Then they questioned what she thought she was going to do about it. The answer came in the most unpleasant way for them. One found a toe shoe in his crotch, and before his comrade could react, he found an elbow in the mouth, and then found himself in a side head chancellery, followed up by a snap mare, and then a foot in the back of the head. He lay on the ground, too much in a daze, and too much in pain to want to do much more. Claire then turned her attention to the woman. She said she was okay, and she thanked her, considering that those two punks had threatened to accost her if she did not give them what they wanted. Warren came up quickly, and she ran to his arms. He cuddled her, and told her that it would be okay. She was trying to give him money, and he said, "Hey, baby, you've been through a lot tonight. Its okay: just keep it tonight, okay. Sleep it off and be ready for work tomorrow, okay?"

They pecked, he stroked her hair, and she went her way. Claire was surprised at this, considering that pimps normally did not show this kind of affection for their girls. When Warren saw them staring, he just shrugged and smiled, saying, "Hey, they're crazy 'bout me."

His demeanor changed, and then he said, "Hey, word up: I owe you! I'll get that information for you. Be ready to get the call tomorrow."

He pointed, winked at them, grinned, and walked on, flipping open his cell phone, getting ready to continue business. Wonder Woman said, "Now that was well handled. You may have gone a bit overboard on the boys, but I don't think they'll be going to the police about this anytime soon! Let's report in what we found."

Superman and Mary Marvel received the information, and then he pointed out one particular dock, telling her to land there. He had spotted a limousine there, and he knew that this family was a rival and hated enemy to the Torricellis. If they could get more information this way, they could save themselves some time and effort. They landed inside the dock area, and some guards instinctively put a bead on them with their rifles, telling them to leave. They both ignored the threats, knowing that the guards would figure out who was walking on the dock in time. They approached the limo, and the man inside cursed under his breath. He opened the door and said, "Hey, Sups, I ain't done nothin' for you to be here! Take da dame and beat it!"

"Oh come now," said Superman, "Just what did you think you would do to get rid of me anyway?"

However, the driver thought that he was going to be clever. He knew he could do nothing to Superman, but he had never seen the other one. He figured that he could grab her, use her as a bargaining chip, and get Superman out of there. He jumped up, and held the pistol to her head, saying, "Okay S, you heard the boss: amscray!"

However, Mary had other ideas. With lightning speed, she snatched the driver, threw him about 20 yards, and sauntered over to the fallen man. He was still dazed when she approached and took up the pistol. She knelt before him, dropped the clip, ejected the round, and said, "Now really, did you think you were going to hurt me with this?"

With that, she bent the gun in two as if it were made of aluminum, and dropped it on the ground. "Oops," she said mockingly, "I broke your little toy."

She stroked his face, and fluttered her eyelashes. She then went back to the boss. Superman then said, "All that was not necessary, because I came here with a proposal. What do you know about Torricelli and Happy Face?"

That got his attention. "Let me tell you!" he exclaimed, "Torricelli is all dirty with dat stuff! He's hurting business with dat."

"I'm sure he is," said Superman knowingly, "And, what do you think you could do to help stop him: you know, put your business back on a paying basis?"

"What do you want to know?" he then asked.

"Can you find out where that stuff is being made, distributed, and who has been bankrolling them?" asked Superman, "We know that they do not have the kind of money that they need to run such an operation, and they have to be getting it from somewhere."

"Give me about 12 hours," he said, "I'll give you all you need!"

"Great," said Superman, "Just be careful you don't give an indication that the noose is closing in on them, because other things have happened that just might do that. So be careful, because, if you want Happy Face off the street, you have to be careful about how you get that info, got it?"

"Clear as mud," he joked.

However, just before they were about to leave, a large moving van was making its way into the compound quickly…**very quickly**. "Speak of the Devil," said the boss, and they all knew that this was deliberate. However, Superman scanned the van, and it had armed men and explosives in there. He shouted, "Mary, stop the van!"

The van crashed through the gate, but Mary was there to intercept it. She braced her feet, and put her hands out. However, she missed the bumper, but she was well braced, and the truck stopped suddenly, as if hitting a concrete pillar. Her hands went straight through the grill and fan like a hot knife through butter, and slammed straight into the engine. This rammed the engine straight into the cab of the van, further frightening the driver, who was still trying to get over the shock of the sudden stop. It was not quite how Superman envisioned it, but it did the job. Meanwhile, all the men in the back had been thrown to the front, which Superman observed with his x-ray vision, and had to chuckle. He had expected to take these men on, but now they were not quite in the mood for a fight. Superman ripped the back door off the van, and began throwing out mobsters like rag dolls. Mary was tying them up in the fencing that once made up the gate. However, Superman's super hearing detected the sound of the timer that had accidentally been set off when they collided with Mary Marvel. Superman said, "Quick, grab the other side, and throw it with me as hard as you can."

They heaved the van, and it quickly flew out of sight, and exploded in a spectacular fireball far over the water, and out of danger. The boss then went up to Superman, and said, "Now it is a matter of returning the favor. We will have information for you tomorrow."

Superman left him with a contact number, and they took their leave. It was nearly two in the morning by this point, and the teams were called back. They had what they needed, and the five trainees had gained some valuable experience. The next day would be interesting.


	19. Chapter 19

**XIX**

They all awoke at about 11 AM, and there was a hearty breakfast awaiting them. They were quite hungry, and were surprised at how much they were able to wolf down. Ahiru commented, "I cannot believe how hungry I am!"

Wally, (the Flash,) spoke up, and said, "Believe me, doing what we do takes quite a bit of energy, and you will start to find your metabolisms increasing as you do this more. However, you need to work out that much more, to make sure that you don't set your systems into an imbalance, and actually get out of shape."

Billy then spoke up, and said, "We still have to practice, guys: we cannot let up on that. As soon as we're done, we need to get to it."

They finished their breakfast, and then went to what was essentially the dojo in the hall. Fortunately, there were mirrors and bars on the wall to work with, presumably to limber up. Yet, this day, they would have a dance purpose. This day, though, the heroes there joined them, with Bruce, Tim, and Diana lining up beside the six, and the others mirroring them. Once that was done, Ahiru asked, "Okay, I understand you three joining us, but why is everyone here?"

"A bit of camaraderie," said Diana, "We are a team right now, and we think you six can teach us, as we teach you."

"Well," said Rue, "We have to do our dancing as well, and that might take an hour. So, if you…"

However, the heroes all took positions along the bar, as Diana started the music. The six prepared to start, but Bruce took a position along the wall opposite, and began to call out _ballet moves_! The others joined in, but now they, (except for Billy,) were quite surprised to see this display. Even though Guy did not seem too thrilled about the whole thing, he went with it. When that was done, Mary just had to know, "Okay, now we are totally confused! You dance ballet?"

Bruce said, "I studied ballet for years, just to aim it towards the goal of crime fighting. Even Bruce Lee studied ballet for the high kicks and the fitness aspect of it. I could have gone to the Met, but I had other goals."

"You'd be surprised at how many people do this," said Wally, "Even wrestlers do this."

"I wasn't too keen on it," said Gardner, "and I am not sure that I am that keen now. However, I understand the benefits, so I go along with it."

"This was another reason I got into it," said Billy, "because I was doing it with Bruce. He turned me onto it as much as my mentor did."

"It just sucks that you got a head start on us," said Wally.

"You dance so well, Raven," said Ahiru, "If you were not already graduated, I would ask you to come to Kinkan."

"Flattered," she said, "But please call me Rachel. It also seems odd for you to say that I am old enough, because, in fact, this is a teenage body you see. I've been made a teen again. It's a long story, but I am what I am. Perhaps I could go there, and stay close to you. The evil that was in me was purged from me, and I do want a fresh start."

"Are you saying you want to join the team?" asked Fakir.

"I don't know yet, but I would like to be there for you, if you had a need," said Rachel.

Bruce said, "We'll have to see what we can do, although your teachers would wonder why you are such a genius in your academics!"

"We can discuss this later," said Clark, "because we have a schedule to keep. Okay, on to fight training."

They all retreated to the edges of the room, and the wooden floor rolled back to reveal what would best be described as something a gymnast would use for a floor exercise. Bruce took center stage and said, "Today, for the benefit of our apprentices here, we are going to review the principle of Jeet Kun Do. How are you on your Cantonese, Rue?"

"I'm a little rough," she said, "But I do believe that it means 'Way of the Intercepting Fist, or Foot.'"

"Very good," said Bruce, "and I thought of it after last night. I think that this is something you two boys could use, and this is something that can be applied to any form of martial arts. Rue, you may already know this, because, though it is not called Jeet Kun Do, the principle is contained in Aikijutsu. This principle helps disguise a fighting style, and assists you in putting the fight on a ground of your choosing. Fakir, would you please come here."

He did as he was bidden, and Bruce said, "Now, extend a standing side kick."

He did this, and Bruce positioned himself about one inch away from Fakir's foot. Bruce then said, "Now, please stand as normal at that point."

He did, and Bruce then said, "Now, what you see here is my personal space. It is always one inch from the furthest distance someone could reach out and attack me."

Rue remembered this from the class Dr. Cranston gave back in October, and she shuddered at the memory to which this was attached. Bruce continued, "Now, it doesn't matter what kinds of threats he breaths at me, as long as I maintain that distance, he cannot hurt me, as long as he does not have a weapon. Now, slowly step towards me."

Fakir did so, and Bruce moved back, and off to the side, always facing Fakir. He said, "Notice how I always maintain that distance. I am not retreating, but keeping things in such a situation as to where I am in control of it. It should also send a message to him that I am not going to let him dictate how the fight goes, if one happens at all. I hope that this sends a message that, if there is a fight, it is going to be on my terms. Now, rush me."

Fakir hesitated, and Bruce said, "Its okay, you won't be hurt."

Still not sure about the whole thing, he rushed forward, and Bruce quickly grabbed his wrist, pulled him off balance, and stopped him with his leg, remaining in that pose. He then said, "Now, let me explain what just happened. He moved in faster then I could keep that distance. This tells me that he means to attack, so now I have justification to respond. With that distance, I had a split second of time to react. I then went after the first target he gave me, which was his hand. I pulled him off balance."

Turning his attention back to Fakir, he said, "Stand back up, and I will go further."

He did, and the second he did, Bruce pulled hard again, this time using his leg to flip him over. "From here, I can do pretty much what I want."

He released Fakir, and said, "Thank you, Fakir. Now, you only have a split second to react, so, whatever you commit to attacking, you have to stay with it. Sometimes it is good to feint towards one target, just to open up better the one you were aiming for. Keep this in mind. Once you keep in mind that personal space, you will almost always have the edge in a fight."

Rue had to admit that Aikijutsu did teach this in a sense, and that she did this almost instinctively. She was then further surprised when Bruce said, "Now, for a practical demonstration of the potential of Jeet Kun Do, Rue, would you please stand on one edge of the mat?"

She was not sure where this was going, but she did so, and then watched as Bruce said, "Okay, I'll need Guy, Wally, and…hmm…Tim, you too."

"If this is what I think," said Tim, "I was sore for two weeks after the last time!"

"Then remember what you learned," said Bruce, showing no sympathy, "and get ready! Wally, no super speed, got it?"

He snapped his fingers, acting as if he were disappointed. Bruce then said, "Now, stand on the other end, and attack her all at once. Don't hold back."

Rue was shocked at this for a moment, but then realized what Bruce was doing, and prepared for the defense against three attackers—a skill that all advanced Aikijutsu students learn. She readied herself as the three charged at once. Rue deftly stepped aside; knuckle locked with Tim, twisted his wrist, and sent him colliding with the other two. They all stumbled over as Tim sent them off balance. Tim was the first up with a flying kick, which Rue ducked, then grabbed the ankle of his non-kicking leg, diverted his path, and pushed his back, slamming him to the mat. He did a front break fall to keep himself from getting hurt, and she then hip tossed a now charging Guy Gardner. His legs knocked Wally back down, and she stepped to the center of the mat, getting some distance. Tim again was on the attack, but this time, he forgot the other two, and concentrated on his task. Rue was equal to his attacks, parrying them all off. Of the three, she was having the hardest time with him, considering that Bruce had to have trained him well. He was not to be taken lightly. However, to stop the onslaught, on the next parry, she pushed the back of his head, and gave an approaching Wally, who was moving a bit faster than he ought to have, (due to instinct,) an arm drag takedown, right into Tim, who was turning to resume the attack. She then grabbed an attacking Gardner, and spun him around into the other two, who were trying to regain themselves. She knew that she had to use the other two to mess up Tim, and keep him off her. He had the most skill of them, and she had every respect for that. The other two seemed out of it, but they were trying to regain their feet. Tim, however, was pulling himself out of the pile, ready for more. If it came down to it, Tim could beat her, although it would take some time. Bruce could see that it would gravitate to Tim and Rue, so he called a halt to the proceedings. Tim said, "Wow! That's the best challenge that I've had in a while! You're really good!"

With that, he bowed deeply, and Rue returned the gesture, feeling that he was the better fighter. She knew that he could win eventually, and it was only Bruce intervening before it got that far. The other two managed to regain their feet, and weakly bowed. Clark then said, "Okay everyone, get cleaned up, because we need to go to the next phase of the investigation. This is where you six are going to learn about forensics. We are going to take what we have learned, and prepare to finish this thing tonight. I believe that we have enough here to get the job done."

They all reported to the lab, and had all the information spread out before them. They began to speculate and brainstorm on where the main distribution point would be. Bruce also speculated that it could be possible that they might be trying to lay low if they got suspicious about how the league was going about things the night before. However, they were also awaiting some contacts to report. They settled on about three buildings in the stadium district that could have held enough products to distribute to the boroughs. However, they still needed to make a sure connection between the Bombers, and the Torricelli family. By five PM, when they were all sitting down to supper, the first call came in. Warren said that one of his "escorts" managed to get her partner drunk, and then weasel out of him that the Torricellis were indeed bankrolling the effort of the Bombers, and that there was a higher hand involved, but he did not know quite who that was, though he had his suspicions. He passed out in an alcoholic stupor before he could say anymore. That cinched it, but they still needed to find out where the distribution point was. Another call came in about a half hour later, and it was an "anonymous" caller with a tip, (though Clark was fairly certain who it was.) The tipster said that his connections were able to peg down the main distribution point, and that the Torricellis had indeed recruited the Joker to aid them in trying to stay afloat. In the process, they essentially lost control of the operation, and Joker was now essentially running the Torricellis. In fact, one could say that they were no more, and the move they made the day before with the van was a last ditch effort to try to say that they were still viable. However, where the manufacturing point sat was still not certain. They thanked the tipster, and went from there. They brought up the floor plan of the building, and brainstormed about the best way to take the building. However, Bruce suggested letting New York's Finest handle things. However, Ahiru, as she was wont to do, began putting the pieces together, as if it were a routine the Pas De Six were putting together, and said, "Could there be information in there that could tell us where Joker is?"

"Well, of course," said Bruce, "but the boys in blue could give us that."

"But you said we can't spook them," she retorted, "and if we wait, we may not have the chance to get Joker."

That stopped Bruce dead in his tracks. She indeed had a good head on her shoulders for one so young. Testing her, he then said, "What do you suggest?"

She screwed up her face, and then said, "While the police are doing their thing, we can send some in to the office here," pointing to the diagram, "and then see if we can't find something: a telephone number, note, letter, map, something."

Fakir then said, "What if they anticipate that?"

Mytho then said, "Then we send in a diversion, and let someone in that could find something out."

Rue then said, "Rachel and I could transport in."

"Then maybe Tim and Fakir could go in and cause the diversion, because they are the most inconspicuous. They may not be seen going in," added Mary.

The other heroes began to be amazed at the sight, and had trouble keeping up with them. For them, it was as if they were working out a number to perform, and did what they would for that in this case. The heroes then just sat back, and let them go. Ahiru was already putting the game plan together. "Then this is what we do," she said, "Wait for the police to get them really busy, and then we send in Tim and Fakir to keep the office guards on the second floor busy, while Rachel and Rue go in and search the office."

Bruce then said, "Excellent! The only thing is that we do not know how many may be on that second floor, and we do not want the two of them to transport right into a trap. What do we do about that?"

Mytho said, "Clark: you have x-ray vision, right?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Then, you could scan the building, and see how many there are," said Fakir.

"Maybe if we give them about five minutes," said Rue, they can raise enough Cain for us to go in when they become busy with the other two."

"Or," said Ahiru, "Clark can tell us if either the coast is clear, or if they are trying to destroy documents. If it's the second one, then we move in right away. They wouldn't expect someone just popping in on them, and they could be easily taken."

"Sounds like a plan," said Bruce, "Then the attack begins once it is fully dark, and then we move in."

The team all sat there, watching New York's Finest do their magic. Though the gang had decided to lay low for a few, due to all the suspicious things taking place about them the night before, their pulling down things was not fast enough. They were completely caught off guard. There was total confusion on the part of the Bombers, and nothing but organization and clockwork from the police. The team watched intently, waiting for the right moment, which was no greater than two minutes. By that point, Black Knight and Robin had already reached the second story windows, and entered swiftly and forcibly. The few that were on the second floor were caught with their pants down, not able to give a warning that there was an assault on the second floor. If they had, those in the office trying get rid of incriminating evidence would have torched the office, making things difficult. Because Superman was able to see through the walls, he saw them dousing the room with gasoline, and decided that waiting the five minutes would not hold up. He told Raven and Claire to move in right then. Tutu wondered why, and Batman said, "Sometimes, the battle plan does not outlast the battle. You have to be able to adapt to any situation. What do you do when something goes wrong on stage?"

"Point taken," said Tutu. Batman wondered at her, and he was as amazed at her as he was at Billy, due to the radical change in both of their personalities when they put on the hero's guise. Raven and Claire materialized as the last can was emptied, and caught the two men flat footed. One went for a lighter, but a dart found its way into his hand. The other charged, but Raven projected her astral attack—essentially her spirit—right at him before he could react. It had the effect of a heavy tazer, and he hit the floor, gurgling, and laying in a fetal position. Claire then followed up with a jette, followed by a spinning kick square to the chin, sending the man flying. They then began to sift through the papers, trying to find anything that gave any indication of the drug factory. Finally, Claire found the top desk draw, and then ripped it open due to her enhanced strength. In there was a map of the islands around the harbor of New York City. One of them was marked clearly. She sifted again, and found a map of that island, showing certain entrance points about it, and showing something that seemed to be a loading point for a boat. Back on the other map, a point on the port was also marked. "I think we have what we want here," said Claire, waiving the maps.

"Then, let's get out of here!" said Raven. They stuck their heads out, and saw that the boys had finished off the last two guards. By this point, the police were cleaning up things, and they all returned to the rooftop where the others were waiting. They all gathered around the maps, and realized that the port that was marked was none other than the Torricelli owned port. It sat not too far from the docks where the thwarted attack had taken place. The island, however, was one that they all cringed over; because they knew this would be a very unpleasant place to go. An island serving as a city dump was where they were hiding the whole operation. It had been filled up, and was not used for that anymore, and the operation had been moved elsewhere. Once filled, no one ever went there. This then was the perfect place to hide the operation. They had to assume it was deep underground to prevent the seepage of the garbage to get to them and poisoning them. However, no matter how bad the stench was, they had to go, and they had to hurry. If word got out that, not only was the operation halted, but that they were not able to destroy the incriminating evidence, they would be, at that moment, trying to break up the operation there, and destroying any trace that anything had been going on. Gardner used his ring to encase those that could not fly, and took off himself, as did those that could fly. Flash, on the other hand, merely ran on the water.

Everyone wretched as the approached the island, for the stench that came from there was legendary. Guy announced, "I think I'm gonna hurl!"

Batman had those who had them put on their gas masks, and handed out a few to those that did not. Indeed, there were a couple of boats being loaded up, while a couple of people were tossing things into the water. Wonder Woman, Superman, Flash, and the Marvels moved in quickly and put a stop to that. Gardner set the others down, while Batman brought the Swan Sisters and the Knights with him. Gardner and the Raven assisted in taking down any on the surface that may have tried to sound an alarm. Joker, in the meantime, was orchestrating the evacuation, frustrated that Bat brain had figured things out, and informed Laugh-Of-A-League about what was going on. He would set up elsewhere, maybe in a few months, to try to renew his efforts. However, his night was about to get very bad. He was about to ascend a catwalk when he saw on the balcony a strange sight. "Batsy!" he said, seemingly happy that his nemesis had arrived at last, "Good to see you again! I'm glad you finally made it…and you brought the Bolshoi Ballet with you! Very original of you, Batman: I never thought you that creative. However, what do you think they are going to do?"

"Shut your festering hole," said Claire through her gas mask, (in that none of them had time to remove them.) This was followed up by about eight darts, all hitting him squarely in the chest. He screamed in pain, now not feeling in a very funny mood. Before the gunmen could react, Batman gave the order, "CS pellets, three," and he, Robin, and the Knights all cast three each down at the gunmen. They immediately started coughing and chocking, screaming in agony. White Knight, to add to the mix, shouted, "Shield your eyes!" and threw down a magnesium flare pellet, now they were in agony, and they could not see. Everyone then began leaping down or descending into the fray. However, Batman stopped Tutu and said, "No, I need you here in case any slip by. Stop them here."

"What about the Joker?" she asked.

"You don't want to tangle with him," he told her, "If you are thinking about linking with him, I know you are strong in this, but you may be asking for more than you realize. He is also crafty: you may be dead before the thought may occur to you that this is the case. Just stay here."

He then leapt down into the fray. Indeed, it was not about fifteen seconds when a couple of gunmen started to escape. They were still chocking a bit, tears flowing down their eyes, and a bit bloodied from the fight. Tutu was not sure what to do, because she did not have any plants to work with. However, it was then she saw some colorless algae, looking this way being denied sunlight, but it was growing nonetheless in the damp parts of the drug factory. It was not much, but it was better than nothing. She did a quick cabriolet, and waived a hand. Before the two men knew it, they were tangled up in yellow, slimy algae. This was not a very good day for them! She then decided to aid the others below by entangling whoever came close enough to the algae. As she scanned the floor, she saw that the other heroes were joining in, showing that the topside was secure. However, in the confusion, the Joker took an opportunity to try to slip out another way and unnoticed. However, Tutu saw this, and tried to warn Batman, but he could not hear her in the confusion. She knew what Batman had said, but she had to do something. She caused more of the algae to grow and cover the stairs to the point where they were impassable, and did a jette off the balcony to the other where the Joker was fleeing. She caught up to him in a tunnel as he was extracting the last of Claire's darts. It was then, at the last moment, Batman noticed Tutu going after the Joker. He was mad enough at himself for letting the joker slip, but now he was more angered that Tutu had disobeyed him, and went after the Joker. He cursed under his breath and went after them.

Just as Joker was pulling the last feather out, he turned around in time to see Tutu giving chase. He thought, "Well, at least this one will be easy," and prepared to deal with the annoyance. However, she announced, "Mr. Joker, I cannot allow you to leave."

"Well," he squealed, "_Mister_ Joker, is it? Such politeness: I thought that was lost on today's youth. No matter: it's just too bad that you won't be alive to spread these good manners to others, although some red on that white tutu you're wearing just might add the right color hue to your ensemble."

He was about to pull a gun, when Tutu said, "It is so sad that this will happen before I get just one more chance to dance…, and I was going to ask you to dance with me."

This caught Joker off guard. He was not sure what to say now. However, it would be an ironic thing—a good joke in reality—if he danced with her, making her think that things were okay, and then kill her. Tutu took the fifth position, gestured, and gave the invitation. Joker eased off his grip on his pistol, and said, "I would love to."

However, he was the one in for a surprise. When they made contact, he felt the warmth and peace associated with her mind links. He suddenly felt quite vulnerable. He began to realize that they were now communicating telepathically, and he realized that he was also dancing automatically. Of course, his was clownish, in a sense, being that this was the Joker after all. One thing he did know was that she was attempting to reach into his heart, and dredge up some things that he had buried. This he could not allow. He could not break the contact if he wanted to, but that did not mean that he could not take control of the situation. She was trying to get him to open up, so he had to do something to send her off the trail, and maybe even bend her mind to his will if it were possible. Since he lost Harley Quinn to the Amazons, and their version of the Secret Six, he was a bit lonely. She was young and naïve, like Quinn was at the time, and he figured that, if he could do what he did then, he would have one powerful gun moll. She began to speak, saying, "Why, dear Joker, have you gone this route. Surely, something had to have you come to the point where it seems human life has no value."

"Oh, but, dear child," he responded, "Life does have a value to me, although someone tried to kick it out of me when I was but a boy."

"Who did this horrible thing," she said.

"It was my own father!' he sobbed, "He beat me and beat me, and all I ever wanted to do was make him smile."

"Oh, how terrible," she exclaimed. However, in her mind's eye, she saw that he was trying to take her down a road that led to a very dark place. Yet, she kept trying to look down an adjacent road that seemed to lead to a grove. Something was not quite right about this. Still, she kept going, hoping to uncover something, and maybe even settle this man's mind. "What else happened?" she asked.

"Oddly enough, he liked good comedy," he said, "and there was one particular show that he loved, where this one man kept doing this one running gag that always got a laugh from him. So, one day, I did it for him, and he laughed and laughed. I thought I had finally gotten through to him, until he kicked me in the stomach."

Tutu actually began to feel sorry for this man, and he continued, by saying, "I have never had peace, and it seemed so odd to me that the world around me never had a place for me. It all seemed a big joke to me."

He began to sob a bit, and then said, "Oh please, please help me, dear princess! I want to be free. Stay with me, and free my soul."

Oddly enough, she began to feel a tug at this, until she finally looked over his shoulder well enough to see what it was from that which he was trying to lead her. She then said, "Oh Joker, what you have said is so sad. I so wish I could do something to soothe you, and set you at peace. That would be well and good, if…"

She trailed off, then reached out and grabbed his wrist with her other hand, spun him, and slammed him **hard** into the wall, saying, "…if it were not all a pack of lies!"

This occurred about the moment that Batman arrived. It was obvious that the link was broken, and Joker staggered back with a bloody face and a broken nose, moaning; "Now that was not funny!"

He collapsed to the floor as yellow algae began to encase him, save for the head, and as Tutu gained a rather cross look on her face. She said sternly, "If there is one thing that will swiftly gain my ire, it is this: someone who tries to manipulate me when I have left my heart so open to that person in an effort to help him. I do not take very kindly to that!"

"But, how did you know?" he sputtered out.

"Simple: in my mind's eye, I saw the two roads. One was the road that led to your forest of lies, within which you wanted to entrap me, and the other was a road that led to a grove of the true you. Sad to say, that grove now only contains a crypt, within which you have entombed love, mercy, compassion, reason, and kindness. This is a place that you have no intention of being disturbed. If that were all, I could have ended the session, and still subdued you. However, you tried to play me off as if my name was the same as game console, and turn the tables. That was a huge mistake!"

"But, darling…" he said, trying to reason with her, but the algae now grew in such a fashion where it covered his mouth. She was in no mood to hear sorry excuses! Batman then said, "I see you went ahead and disobeyed me!"

She now realized that she had forgotten herself, and was ashamed. Yet, he just laughed, and said, "Girl, I underestimated you! If you had not gone after him, we would have lost him. You handled that well, especially how you had him eating out of your hand, and then introduced him to the wall! Now, that's funny!"

Joker, however, did not look amused.

Batman had everyone re-don their masks, and then had them bring up this criminal trash to join the rest of the trash. It was about this time the Coast Guard arrived to finish the job. Once back on land, the heroes congratulated the six for a job well done. Superman said, "If there is one thing we can say, it is so much fun to be able to train young heroes, because in the process, we learn something as well. You six seem to have cohered even more since we first met you. I can say that, when this Edel emerges, if she ever emerges, she is going to have trouble on her hands! Let's call it a night, kids! We can do the after actions review tomorrow. For now, let's call out for pizza and celebrate another great bust!"

With that, they headed back to the Hall of Justice, enjoying the growth of the hero family, and feeling the peace that comes with knowing you did your fellow man much good.


	20. Chapter 20

**XX**

They spent the rest of their time on general patrols, learning everything they could about working as individuals and as a team. The school had been contacted about Tanya, and once they found out who it was, they were all willing to allow her to teach there, hopeful to give such a renowned dancer another chance. Therefore, she would be traveling back with the six to Kinkan. In the meantime, the league told them to be careful. It had been some time since they had heard from Edel, and that could mean a large attack. Thus, they had to be ready. Marvel said that they would call as soon as danger arose, and looked forward to working with the league once again. They said their good-byes, and headed back to Fawcett, and Kinkan to finish the year.

The six were there for the start of the normal class, just to see Tanya in action. Mr. Katt stepped up, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you a new teacher here in our ballet school, Miss Tanya St. John."

There was applause, and some murmuring, everyone talking back and forth about her. She had been a name that had just begun to become renowned, and gain the fame she deserved, when the car accident happened. It hurt her to the point where she found it hard to walk without a cane, which spelled an end to her dance career. She slipped into depression, and eventually alcohol and drugs. If it were not for her meeting with Tutu and Raven, they may have been reading about her in the obituaries. Now, with her life cleaned up, she had a chance to teach at a school that matched her caliber as a dancer. She stepped to the center, and said, "When I look at you, I see myself in you, in that; I see the same hopeful looks on your faces that I possessed when I was your age, seeking for fame and success. It came to me, and it can come to you! I want to impart the knowledge that was imparted to me, that made me successful. I can tell you now that it will not be easy. However, the one thing that I always kept in sight was standing on that stage, center spotlight, knowing that it was all my hard work, practice, and joy for the dance that put me there. Though we must assign levels to you, from this point forward, I no longer want anyone of you trying to identify with your 'level,' nor trying to look down on anyone for that reason. What I want all of you to identify with are the dancers you all see yourselves to be one day, and start thinking of yourselves in that form now. Start thinking of yourselves as that now! This is the way I envision you now, because I want always to remember the task that I have: helping you to be a success. I want to do all I can to help fit you into the visions of success in which I want to see each one of you. Remember, being that success is what we all seek, and should desire to seek in others. If you can, the more skillful should always seek to pull the less skillful up to their level. In other words, I want you to push each other, be your brother and sister's keepers, as you push yourselves, and I push. I will push, but I will always do all I can to insure that it will be enjoyable as well. I had the Pas De Six come in here this morning as an example of what happens when you apply all that I have just said. They will be joining us in warm-ups today, just to let you know that they do not feel themselves as better than you, and they also see you as the successes in the way that I see you, and you need to see yourselves."

With that, Mr. Katt said, "Thank you, Miss St. John. Now, could you be so kind as to lead us in warm-ups this morning?"

"It would be my pleasure, sir," she said, and sat on a spinning stool at the center of the room. However, instead of the one instructor who played piano taking a seat at the instrument, she stood with the rest. "Okay, stand at the bar, left hand on the bar, and the feet and right hands in the first position. Now up on the toes, on point for those that pertain, arm to the third position."

She continued in calling out the motions of the warm-ups, calling them out rhythmically, rapping out the rhythm on the floor as she did. She slowly rotated around, watching the students, calling out a correction here, praise there, putting them through their paces. The students found it odd that she did things this way, and without the music. However, they began to see something in this, in that, in every step, she was engaged with the students, flowing with their moves, and keeping their focus. They actually began to feel more comfortable and into the warm-ups this way, in that, it kept things filled with energy and action. They felt more involved, and they felt her more involved with them, providing that sense of security they were feeling. The students felt like she actually cared. She snapped hard when she corrected, but after a bit, she did not have to do it often, because the lapses of attention were becoming less and less, as she intended. Her harsh speech, but her quickness to praise, made the students feel that she was putting much in the way of care into both. When they were done, she said, "Now, I want everyone to hold the bar, and stand in the fifth position, and to close your eyes."

Her speech began to slow, and become almost hypnotic. She then began to say, "Breathe in slowly, now out slowly. Take in that breath, and now push it out. Keep doing this, and listen to my voice. See yourself at graduation. See yourself on that stage. See yourself as the primo dancer, or the prima ballerina. See yourself doing the variation before them. See yourself at the curtain call. Imagine how that feels. Imagine how they feel. This is you. This is the 'you' yet to be. This is the 'you' yet to be, and yet, that 'you yet to be' that you are right now. Keep this image in your heads every day. Tell yourselves, 'I am a success. I am a winner. I am special.' Now, take the first position, and slowly open your eyes. Very good! Now, let us separate, intermediate and advanced with me, please."

There was now a buzz in the room of energy and excitement that had not been felt by these students in quite this way before. It was not that she was a better teacher than Mr. Katt was, but it was such that she was providing a fresh perspective to the class that invigorated them. Even the AP class, (the six,) was energized. She indeed was going to make a difference for these students.

While the class ensued, the six went to the classroom to discuss the upcoming semi-final competition for "Strut Your Stuff." They had already done the callback, and they were all informed, (after a bit of teasing from the panel, as if they had not made it,) that they had gone to the semi-finals. They then knew that they had to have two routines put together, because, if they got past the semis, then they had to be ready for the final, which normally was either the next night, or a few nights later, depending on when one did the semi. For the semi, it was decided that they would refine the "Lucy" routine, and that they should again hit the studio to record the song. For the final, however, they knew they had to do something special. After kicking around some ideas, it was decided that they would do a combination song and dance routine to "Just Show Me How to Love You," choosing Mytho and Rue to sing as the others danced. At first, the others wanted Billy to sing it, but then they felt that it would not be as believable if someone else were to sing with him, because only Ahiru would best suit him, and her voice, although good, was not quite up to something like this song. Considering that the two of them planned to tie the knot the day after graduation, they then realized that they would be able to put something into it that the others could not. Once this was decided, they took the dance floor when it was their time for their session, and began to work on "Lucy." They would be ready. However, before any of this could happen, what they had long awaited, finally hit!

Edel had her minions ready, which equated about a battalion in military terms. It was not so much as she was going to send them out to wreak havoc that it was she wanted this number of minions to keep out those that would seek to stop her. Once things were done, then they would be unleashed on Kinkantown, Fawcett City, and then the world. The first thing that needed to happen was that the Batsons would have to be isolated and neutralized. She would wait until she had them all captured before she killed any of them, because she wanted them all to see each other suffer as she made their deaths slow and painful. The only one that would have it quickly was Mytho. It was his heart above others that the Raven wanted, because he wanted that revenge against his ancestors, and because he did not want to give one ounce of a chance to him to use that swan sword on him. It possessed the ability to shatter one's spiritual heart, because the power that Mytho possessed had created it for that purpose when he had wished it on himself. It was a somewhat forbidden power, but he had used it nonetheless and ignorantly so, because it was a power of which he was unaware. It was something that acted subconsciously when the need was desperate enough. He lent the same power to Tutu when she sacrificed her pendant to release the final heart shard. She had then lost the power to become Tutu, but, because the power came from his own heart, and because it was a piece of his heart that gave her the ability to transform, he was able to make her Tutu once again, and long enough to banish Edel to the realm of despair. This same sword could also be fatal to the Raven, because, if his own supernaturally empowered heart were pierced, (being that it was semi-spiritual in and of itself,) then it was all over, and there was no coming back. He needed to be the first to go. Thus, she had to get the Batsons, and gag them before they called out the wizard's name. Then, she would use them as the bait to get them into the open, take the pendants, and smash them as a part of the ceremony before their eyes. All was set. She decided to have it at her main lair, in a spacious cave not a mile from the school, which had several rooms and passages, and opened out into a vast amphitheatre, where things would take place. The stage itself was wide, with tree limbs intertwined around the wall like a bird's nest, and Edel had the ceremonial table set up in the middle. The next thing to do was to wait for the chance to pounce on the Batsons when they were alone.

It was Saturday, and they were sure to get their homework done early, because they were going to get their single of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" ready for "Strut Your Stuff." It took the better part of the day to get the best tracks laid down, and then to sit and listen for the best cut. It was late afternoon, and they were all going to the Take Five to relax. Mary and Billy hung back, however, and said that they would catch up. Mary wanted to talk to Billy, and see where his head was, considering all the changes they had been through that year. "What's up, Mary?" asked Billy.

"I just wanted to ask you," she said, "Is this where you expected things to go?"

"Not really," he answered, "I thought I was just going to enter an art school, keep on as Captain Marvel, and have some kind of front career for my life as the captain: broadcasting, Broadway, something like that."

"What do you think was the difference?"

"Her!"

"Are you referring to Ahiru?"

He smiled, and said, "Of course!"

"How was this?"

"Ever since that first day on the mall, when she danced into my life, she seemed so vulnerable, yet so open and caring. She seemed like she needed a steadying hand, and yet, ironically, had an inner strength that was to be admired. She just sucked you in. I don't know how any boy would not be attracted to her. At the same time, I needed someone, although I didn't know it, and something in me said that she was the one, although I was as shy as could be. It was love at first sight, and instant chemistry. Now, she so completes me. She has changed, I have changed, and because we changed together, I cannot see how I could live without her. The fact that she was a super heroine under wraps added impact. I never envisioned a team, but I think the old wizard knew. I just wonder if it was his influence that put me here. I wonder if he knew who was here, and made sure we came together. I don't know, but, I am just glad it came out this way."

"So am I bro, so am I. I have had chances for a great life thrust upon me as I have never had it, or could have imagined it. Because of that, I have been able to help you, Ahiru, and even Mai."

She pointed to the longhaired Korean girl, wearing a casual blouse and skirt, a far shade from the tomboy that she knew at the start of the year. She continued, "I cannot see a life other than this. I am a super heroine, and a part of a great act. This is going to be a great life."

Billy then piped up, and said, "Let's catch up to the others," and that was all he got out, as they were grabbed, and gagged, from behind. There were about 20 minions there, and they did not care at this point whether they were seen or not, because, soon, the Raven would be there, and all would be theirs. Mai caught full sight of this, and quickly rushed to the Take Five. She tore in, found Ahiru in the back with the others, and said, "Tutu…ah…I mean…"

"Shh…it's okay," said Ahiru, "just be more careful. What's wrong?"

"A bunch of things that looked like Poe!" she stammered, "There were about 20, they gagged Billy and Mary, and hauled them off!"

As they said that, their communicators were vibrating like crazy. Rue said, "My God, this is it!"

The four of them wasted no more words, and rushed out like firemen responding to a fire. As the got outside, Poe flew straight to them, and they almost attacked him. When they recognized him, Fakir said, "Poe! It's not wise for you to be out right now!"

Yet, he was frantic, trying to explain all that had happened. His English had improved, but it was still a bit childish. "It is the Batson's! It is Edel! They are going to hurt!"

Rue grabbed his beak, turned him to her, and said, "Poe, this is very important, so listen closely."

She took her communicator, opened it, and said, "Okay, we are going. First of all, where would they have gone?"

"Edel would use main liar for this. It is the best place for the ceremony," he sputtered.

"I'd ask you to guide us," she said, "but we need you here. Look at the phone."

She showed him the keypad, and said, "Keep it open. If it vibrates, you press this one in the lower corner—the one with the circle and tail—and press it once. Then you press the one with the straight line in this corner twice."

However, as she was showing this, a raven flew by, and dropped a piece of parchment as it flew away. Mytho picked it up, and it read, "I have your friends! If you ever want to see them alive again, listen to these demands: come to the clearing in the woods not too far from the gate. Do not be in a changed state, girls, or else they die! More shall be said then. Edel."

"It's a trap," said Fakir.

"What choice do we have?" asked Ahiru.

"We're going to have to figure that out then," said Rue, and she then took back the communicator. She contacted Wonder Woman, and said, "Princess Diana, this is Claire."

"Hello," she answered, "Why do you sound so frantic?"

"It's time," was all she said in return. There was about five seconds of silence, and then she said, "Great Hanna…do you need us?"

"We're going to try to handle this," said Rue, "but just in case…say 'Hi' Poe."

Poe greeted Wonder Woman, and then Rue said, "He looks like one of her minions, but he is on our side. If there is danger, the next call you will get shall be him. If that is the case, get here as soon as you can!"

"Will do," she answered, "Take care of yourselves," she then said, with a concerned and scared sound in her voice. The communication ended, and then she asked Poe, "Do you remember what to do when it vibrates?"

He pointed to the buttons he was to push, and how many times correctly. "Very good," she said, "Then, we are going. Stay in your room. If it happens, tell the heroes that will answer where you will meet them."

They then rushed off, with the boys stopping by the dorm very quickly to retrieve at least their swords and belts. Then, they went to the spot.

It was twilight now, and they went to the spot. They were not sure what they were going to do, but they knew that they were skilled enough in this state to fight if they had to. If they could, they would try to subdue one of the minions, and have it take them to the lair, change then, and then rescue the Batsons. However, when they arrived, about ten torches emerged around the clearing, accompanied by the sounds of chanting. The circled up, but before they could react, and ocean of minions descended upon them, and quickly subdued them. They then went for the girl's pendants and unclasped them from their necks. The instinct was to fight for them, but Ahiru knew that the alarm needed to be sounded, ignored the pendant, and hit the signal button. After that, they were swiftly carried away. However, Poe sat on his bed, frightened for the others. He knew how powerful that she was, and he wasn't sure if there was anything they could do. The communicator vibrated like crazy, and he knew that this meant trouble. He pressed the buttons as he was told, and immediately there was an answer, "Wonder Woman here: is this Poe?"

"Yes, yes, it is Poe!" he cawed, "Come quickly, please, there may not be much time!"

"Go to the meeting point," she said, "and keep the communicator open: we'll trace it to you."

Wonder Woman then hoped that they could arrive in time. Superman said that he, Flash, and Raven could be there the fastest, and they would spearhead. Wonder Woman then said she would get the jet ready for the slower ones, so that they could arrive quickly to ensure that things did not get out of control. They were fortunate that Green Arrow and Black Canary were on hand for this, as well as the Dynamic Duo, and Lantern. This would be a great crew in the fight. Arrow added the benefit of the distance attacks, and Canary's fighting skills and sonic attacks would be crucial. It only took Poe a minute to get to the clearing where they had been subdued, and the spearhead arrive at about this time. Poe waived the communicator around so that they would know it was he. "I am Poe!" he cawed, "Please hurry! My friends are in trouble! Please follow!"

Without asking questions, they followed right behind. About a half-mile away was the cave in question. They took the communicator and said, "Okay, now just wait there, and get yourself out of sight. If you were one of them, they will be seeking revenge. The others will be here soon, and keying on the signal. If you hear the sound of engines, and a group of people seemingly seated on nothing descending, waive them down, and point them in here."

Poe did as he was told, and hoped for the best, as the others entered the cave.

The cave itself had several rooms and passages, and, if they had cared to, there was more behind the natural amphitheatre the cave produced. As they approached, things were beginning to transpire. Mytho was stretched out on the table, with his top taken off, and the top half of the unibody undergarment peeled down. On a rock podium sat the two pendants. The ten priests were on the stage, chanting a summoning of the Raven, as the others hung from the back wall, with their arms intertwined in the limbs. Of course, Mary and Billy were well gagged. Edel then pulled to her one of the priests, and said, "Be prepared, because you are going to help strengthen him."

Soon the presence that had been summoned before appeared in the room. It thundered, "It is time?"

"It is time m'lord," said Edel, "and here is something to strengthen you until your sacrifice is prepared."

She then took the Raven's claw, and raised it up. The girls looked away as they knew what was to follow. She plunged it into the man's chest, cut it open, pulled out the heart, and tossed the still beating heart to the Raven. Because it was not the pure heart that he sought, all it could do was pull him into this realm better, but not free him enough to fulfill his evil plot. However, it would be enough to where it would not weary him to be there, and have him corporeal enough to accept the sacrifice. The three heroes heard the scream of the dying man, and headed in that direction. They were just entering the room when Edel was getting ready for phase two of the ceremony. "And now, ballet brat and friends," shouted Edel, "It is time for you to see your final defeat, starting with these two pendants!"

She then lifted up a heavy rock, held it up for a moment, and screamed as she brought it down. She did not happen to notice the slight breeze that caressed her face right before the rock fell, because she was too much into what she was doing to notice. She then smashed the objects on the podium, and let out an evil cackle. "Gone forever!" she thundered, "The Swans are finally done for: GONE FOREVER! HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"Just like any evil doers that we have ever faced," said a confident and defiant voice. Everyone looked back and saw the three heroes standing on the walkway in the back. "You're too late," laughed Edel, "The pendants are gone, the Batsons are neutralized, and I will have his heart to the Raven before you can react."

"My God, you're boring, woman," said Flash, "Can't you come up with anything original?"

"Mock all you want" she said, "The pendants are gone! I smashed them!"

"That would be difficult," said Flash, "considering that I have them right here!"

He held them up for all to see, and the girls were happy to see this happen. "NO!" screamed Edel, but Flash rubbed salt into the wound, and said, "I am amazed you can't tell the difference between pendants, and two pieces of candy!"

"GET THEM!" she screamed, and Superman shouted, "Raven, hold them off! Wally, help me with the six!"

She raised the claw, and she was ready to strike. However, just as Flash had switched the pendants, he and Superman had the six freed and set on the walkway, as Raven sent forth her astral attack, stunning the initial wave. The Knights strapped on their swords, (which were also retrieved by Flash,) and the others went to a safe place to change. The Raven thundered, "GET THAT HEART!"

There brigade of minions started to come over the wall of the walkway, but the now reinforced heroes started to lay into them, making all the difference. Meanwhile, outside, the very sight that Superman told of descended, and Poe was quick to meet them. As they jumped out, he was already screaming, "They are in there! They are in there! Go, quickly!"

Back in the amphitheatre, they were holding their own, but they seemed to start to gain the walkway. Superman said, "Prepare for a fighting withdrawal," but that was before an arrow found its mark on a minion. It dropped, and reverted to a normal Raven. This was followed up by a host of attacks by the other heroes, and Gardner was making his ring sing. Canary then said, "Everyone behind me," and once this was done, she let out her banshee cry. Any that were directly in the sound cone instantly had their eardrums blown out. It also stunned the rest of them in there to allow some to go for the main target—Edel. Rachel and Claire teleported instantly to the stage, as Tutu jumped, and the Knights made their way to the stage. The Marvels hung back with the rest to deal with the now faltering brigade of minions. They seemed to be no match for the heroes, as Batman, Robin, Arrow, and Canary were holding their own, as Flash, Superman, Lantern, and Wonder Woman were taking out multiple targets as they went. Soon, they would be to the stage, and they could then put an end to the proceedings. Meanwhile, on the stage, the Swans and Knights were engaged with the nine remaining priests and Edel. Endorphins had gotten the better of Tutu, and she began to attack now without restraint. The priests were a different story than the minions, in that, these were more accomplished fighters than the minions were, and they would prove more of a challenge. However, they still were not the match for the four there on the stage, and they were able to dwindle the number of priests, who were now frantically trying to tighten up and protect Edel. The Raven was incensed. "GET THE HEART, EDEL: NEVER MIND THE REST!"

She then began to work her way around to Mytho as best she could without being noticed. She then got behind him, and prepared to make a killing blow, and then cut out his heart. She raised the claw, and then she was suddenly knocked down by black blur. It was Poe. He had followed up, hoping to be able to do something that could aid his friends. He came in, slipped past the fight, saw what Edel was doing, and then flew swiftly to the stage. "Now I pay you back for what you do to me!" he screamed, and kept going for the claw hand. If he got a hold of it, his beak was strong enough to sever her hand off with the ease of snapping a twig. However, he was not necessarily a skilled fighter, mainly going off instinct, and received a bad slash across the chest from Edel. "Get off me, you beast!" she yelled, as she now kicked off the badly wounded bird off her. He was bleeding badly, and Mytho broke away to treat Poe. This gave Edel another opportunity to strike Mytho. She raised the claw, and thundered, "IT ENDS NOW!"

Tutu took down the priest in front of her, and saw the blow Edel struck on Poe, and her encroaching on Mytho. In one instant of time, her mind reviewed everything from the school year before up to that point, and how this woman had tried to do all she could to wreck her life, and the lives of all she loved. Now, Poe lay dying, Mytho in danger, and everything coming apart. She had always shown restraint up to this point, and she had always been slow to anger. Yet, seeing this, something snapped in her head, and she could restrain no more. "RRRRAAAAAHHHHHGGG!!!" was heard from her position as she let loose with a primal scream. As she did, she moved swiftly, and deflected the claw away from Mytho. It was no longer words coming from her, but pure rage. All the pent up rage that she had felt for all the Edel had done, and was now trying to do, was now at the surface. As she fought, she was silhouetted by the aura of the white glowing swan. Instead of projecting it, it stayed around her as she fought, moving as she moved. As she fought, she glowed with a golden glow. When Tutu had slashed Edel before, she had made a good blow, but it was only because Edel was not ready for it. At any other time, she would have been more of a match for Tutu, as she would have been if things had been as normal. Yet, not like this, because now Tutu was instinctively using the attack she learned of over Christmas break. Every block of, and blow against, one of Edel's claws hit with tremendous force. To those observing at a distance, it looked like Edel was fighting a seven-foot tall astral swan. It was a spellbinding sight! The heroes used this sight to their advantage by kicking into overdrive against what was left of the brigade of minions. "Edel, I shall lend you my power!" said the Raven, but Rachel, (their Raven,) heard this, and said, "No, it ends for you! Prepare to face your doom!"

A black shape of a raven arose from her, outlined with a golden glow, and thrust itself at the Raven. He screamed, as it appeared that a hole was opening in his astral form. The sound of a beating heart was heard, but Rachel was having trouble opening it. Meanwhile, one of the remaining priests was trying to Pearl Harbor Tutu, just as Wonder Woman leapt onto the stage. "For my Amazon sisters!" she yelled, as she picked him up, and threw him at the wall. She spun around, and backhanded another, who spun right into a well placed kicked from Claire. At that point, Fakir was dueling with a minion, who quickly found out how capable a swordsman Fakir was. He found this out when steel found its way into his chest. In the main fight, Edel was not faring well. Tutu was cutting her up. They had all been superficial blows, yet, the number of them, mixed with her sweat, made her look like a bloody mess. Mytho finished working on Poe, and then turned his attention to the Raven. He saw Rachel was struggling with the Raven, trying to open up a fatal hole in the chest of the Raven, and prepared to thrust in the swan sword into his heart when he got the chance. Yet, at this point, the remaining company of minions saw their friends being quickly subdued, and realized that, maybe, the action on the stage would be a better chance for them. They thus turned their attention to that. Suddenly, the heroes there were starting to be overwhelmed, and the heroes up top began to advance to aid their comrades. Tutu was too engaged to try to help, and Edel hissed out, "It's over, ballet brat! No matter what, you cannot win!"

With all the action occurring, a sense of desperation overcame her, knowing it indeed may be over before the rest could do something about it, and she took a chance to expose herself by taking the position of refusal, and screaming as loud as she could, "ENOUGH!"

Her scream echoed off the walls and down the halls of the cave. It was so loud that, if someone had been passing by out front, he or she would have wondered what the scream was all about. As she did, the swan aura began to fill the room with light. The minions screamed, and the few remaining priests gained a look of horror as they yelled as well. Edel, for a brief moment, saw the stance, and started to fight the pain she was now feeling in an attempt to plunge the claw into Tutu. She was met by two backhands simultaneously: Wonder Woman and Princess Claire. She did a back flip, and landed hard. As all this was going on, the combined energy of Rachel and Tutu opened up the Raven's heart clearly. "Strike now," said Rachel, "Strike true!"

Mytho then flung the sword into the air, and straight into the heart of the Raven. "NOOOOO!" screamed the Raven in a horrible death throe. Tutu just wanted all this to be over, and she screamed, "EVIL, BE GONE, BE BANISHED!"

Edel looked with horror as Tutu swung her hands forward, and saw a portal open up before her. "NOT AGAIN!" were the last words that anyone in this world would ever hear from Edel. When that was done, all that remained were the heroes and Poe.

The Realm of Despair was not Hell, but it might as well have been. The place was permeated with dark gray clouds, and gray-ashen sand dunes as far as the eye can see. Here and there, one could see half-buried skeletons, and some of them animated! In this realm, there is no need for food or drink, there is no pain, no suffering to be inflicted on any there. However, death does not come either, nor does sleep. There is nothing to do but wander and ponder. This, in and of itself, is torture. Those trapped here can do nothing but try to occupy themselves with something—anything—to take one's mind off where they were, and that his would be forever. Their bodies would slowly rot away, though painlessly, yet they would live forever. The ironic thing is that, though people try to do what they can to forget everything in the prior world, just to kill memories, and to try to forget their ultimate fate, whatever they do would only accelerate the rotting process. When it was done, all one can do is lay there in mental anguish as a skeleton. This is where a bunch of raven carcasses, the few remaining priests, and Edel wound up! Before, when Tutu had sent her there, the Raven was still around to bail her out, albeit at the cost of her virtue. This was because she would have done anything to get away from this realm. Now, the Raven was dead, and she was trapped. The priests wanted to exact revenge, but even they knew that would be fruitless, because it would not resolve their situation, and, in reality, they were too focused on their own position than wanting to seek revenge. All Edel could do was drop to her knees, laughing and crying at the same time, in one grand hysterical fit. She had tried for everything, but her evil caused her to lose it all!

As everyone, (except for the Marvels,) came to, they were shocked to see the aftermath. All their foes were gone. Poe was weak, but alive. Mary and Claire were consoling Poe, telling him how brave a bird he had been, and he did well. Raven was sitting on the stage, trying to regain her composure. However, everyone sat silent as they observed Marvel cradling Tutu, who was quite unconscious, and it was unsure if she was even alive at all. He was crying, rocking her back and forth, and begging the powers that be to bring her back. Raven saw this, regained her faculties, and knew that she had to help. She put her hands on her head, concentrated, and said, "She is not dead. She has turned in on herself. I shall enter in and see if I can guide her back."

She linked minds with Tutu, and began to travel through, trying to find out where Princess Tutu had gone. Meanwhile, Tutu had traveled into the astral plane, in that, she thrust herself there in a subconscious defensive act, and was now floating lost, wanting to get back, and not sure how. She wanted to cry, but it was then when she heard a voice say, "Fear not, my granddaughter!"

She heard another say, "Fear not, my niece!"

She spun around to see the spirit forms of two very beautiful women. They looked vaguely similar to Claire and Tutu, but both wore Roman styled dresses, with brown hair, slippers, and the kindest faces. The floated up to her, and embraced her. These two women could only be the original Swan Sisters. "We have been watching you," said White Swan.

"…and we are so proud of you and Claire," added Black Swan.

"You two are the first of our ancestors to have had the chance to reclaim the family glory," said White Swan.

"We are so glad that you and the others had the chance to put the Raven away once and for all!" said Black Swan.

"How do I get home?" said Tutu.

"Help is on the way," they both said together.

It was at this point that Raven began to appear, and Black Swan said, "It is good you came for her. Please, take her home, and get her some rest."

Raven came up and took her hand. Then, Tutu said, "What happened?"

White Swan then said, "My dear granddaughter, you tapped into your fullest potential of your power: a power that was rarely used by us, because of what it can do. When things are that desperate, you can tap into it, but I would suggest you do it with the greatest of restraint, because of what has happened to you now. Use the lower powered attack like you did with the children when things are bad, and what you did when there is no other choice. Yet, always try to keep in your will to remain in your own realm."

Black Swan then interjected, and said, "Now, go forth, and keep up the family tradition to fight evil wherever you and Claire find it, and we shall be watching you. We shall always try to channel our power to you if we can. Know also that the offspring of you and Claire shall also be able to do what you do. Thus, whether they are sons or daughters, you can hand the pendants off to them when you can no longer continue, and they shall take on the fight. Teach them well, and teach them to be the noble and brave people that you and Claire are. Go back now, because someone that dearly loves you awaits you!"

As they retreated, "Wait! Shall I ever see you two again?"

"One day, child, one day!" said the sisters, as they faded from view.

Her eyes fluttered open, and all she saw was a blur. As her eyes focused, the first thing she saw was the face of her beloved Marvel. She then saw everyone else encircling her, and she saw all of them sigh, relieved to see that she had revived. "Oh, Rubber Duckie," she said, and Marvel said, "I love you, Baby Duck!" and they kissed. Everyone applauded, including a weakened Poe, suffering from a great loss of blood. As they stood up, Marvel began to look around, and he began to have an epiphany about what he was seeing. Tutu wondered what he was thinking, and she asked him, "What's wrong?"

"Just kicking around ideas, Baby Duck; just kicking around ideas. Let's go home."


	21. Chapter 21

**XXI**

Before going into the school grounds, everyone reverted back to their own forms, and Billy thanked Superman and the Justice League for their help, and Superman said, "When we get back, we are going to review what we observed, and let you six know what we have decided about where to place you in the league. You all have done well. Get some rest, and take care."

Rue, Mary, and Rachel all helped guide Ahiru and Poe up to their rooms. They were fortunate that Mai and Yuma had been waiting for them, knowing that Tutu would be facing a hard foe that night, and that they would have to cover if anything happened. They saw her, quickly diverted attention from the sight, and got her upstairs. As the girls took over, Rue, Mary, and Rachel got Poe upstairs, and settled him on his bed. They were amazed at his room. His bed was covered with black down, shaped into a nest-like ring, and they realized that he still slept like a bird. They also were amazed at how decorated the room was with shiny baubles and decorations. One would have thought it Christmas by the way it looked. They asked him what kind of food he liked, knowing that he would have to eat immediately to regain his strength, and encourage blood gain. Rachel said that she would keep a vigil on him, doing what she could to nurse him back to health. He would be out of it for a few days, and the first 24 hours would be crucial. Ahiru slept and rested the whole of Sunday, beginning to regain her strength throughout the day. She told Rue and Mary about what she saw, and whom she met, and looked at her pendant repeatedly. She was happy knowing that there would always be a White Swan if her children were willing to keep up the family tradition. She then knew that, no matter what, the pendant was never to leave her neck again as long as she was able to be Tutu, until the time came to pass it along. It was the only way to ensure that it would never be lost. She could take joy in knowing that she had a career, and a life, that could bring happiness and joy to all that would come to her. It was this thought that sped her recovery. By Monday, she was ready to go.

That weekend, their semi-final for "Strut Your Stuff" was coming. They would then have to be ready for the final that next night. This meant that they would have to get the final dance ready that week. When they got to the studio in Fawcett City, the house was packed. They had that day to explain how they wanted the lighting, the lighting people were also able to make suggestions, and they said that they could take whatever they did and turbo charge it. That evening, there was electricity, and the cameras were on them when they did the haka before they came on. They then dazzled the audience and the panel, and the pressure of the competition caused them to take their game to a completely new level. The panel all came out with praise over what they had done, saying that what they were doing could put ballet back into the limelight, showing people that ballet was for everyone. They were one of the six acts that would make the final the next night, and they would be ready. Already, the reviews were coming in. The Anaheim Ballet had all the praise in the world for them, as did the dance theatre of Harlem, because this was pushing ballet into the limelight in a way that they had always wanted, and more. They knew that it would help their own companies, and be able to help them reach out to the troubled youth, and give them a chance to either a future, or something to help build their confidence and self-esteem. However, there were some harsh statements. This was mostly made up of the ballet snobs and the purists that swore up and down that what was happening would destroy the art, because what they were doing was just not real ballet. They could praise it for what it was, but one would never see it at Carnegie Hall, or the Met. Some questioned the kids about it, but they said they had no comment. They had no time to worry about critics, because they had to concentrate on what they had to do that night. They were about to do something they had never tried, and hoped that it would do the trick. They also had the pressure of final exams, and Billy had to join the theatre department for the special show at the end of the month. In that show, it was a variety show, however, each department worked as a unit to present an act, rather than just random students doing what they wanted. This acted as a part of their grade, and they had to be straight. On top of this, there were their dance exams, which would be intense. They were in the AP class, and this meant that it was going to be quite technical. The final exams of the seniors were also a part of this, and they would be looked at even closer. However, Billy was taking it in stride. He was going to take one challenge at a time. First thing to do was the contest, then the show, and then the finals. He would not let it get to him this time.

Final time came, and they were now all feeling the nerves. Mr. Katt and Mr. Tawny were trying to settle them, but not having much success. However, Tanya showed up, and she was ready to aid. "All right, let's get you six ready. There is no way that six of my students are going to go out there and fall on their faces."

She then had them all sit down, and she began to lead them through some concentration exercises. She said, "Okay, see yourselves as the winners you are. See yourselves singing from your hearts. See yourselves going through the steps, and hear the music in your minds. Hear the cheers, and see yourselves as winners. See all what this shall bring. You are winners. You are special."

They kept up the rhythmic breathing, and were able to calm down. When she was done, they were determined and focused. They all then stood as one, did the haka, and went upstairs. The hosts of the show then said, "Here are six teens who are taking the nation by storm, singing and dancing their way into the hearts of their fans. Here now to present a new look to themselves are the Pas De Six!"

The audience cheered heartily as they took the stage. Wearing the ear microphones, Mytho and Rue began their song, as the others began to dance. Already, people were feeling the groundswell growing of something great. As the song built in the first verse, the dance also gained in energy. The two of them were singing as if they had been singing this style all their lives. When the chorus hit, the wave of energy exploded over the audience, as the light and effects crew were outdoing themselves, adding the right ambience to the performance. The crowd thundered their approval. All the passion and power was there for the performance, and all who watched wondered how it would be that they would lose this night. The panel had nothing but praise. The talent scout that led the judging said, "Kids, that was an absolute Tour de Force that you put on tonight. You have proven you can dance and sing to various styles, and never seem to run out of energy. It would shock me if it were that you did not win tonight…Good job!"

The crowd thundered their agreement with the statement, and they left the stage floating on air. After one more act, the phone lines were open for the fifteen minutes voting was allowed to go on. During that time, they did a quick review of what it took the finalists to get to where they were. Then came the decisive moment: they announced that it had been the closest vote yet in the history of the show. The difference between numbers one and two were a mere three votes! The host then said, "And the winner of this year's program…is…"

The van was silent as the crew went home. They were devastated at the announcement of the winner, and they could not believe that they had lost, and lost it so close. They knew that they had put on a show as no one had ever seen before, and that such things are what people want to see. Mr. Tawny had some consolation news for them, but he decided that he would rather wait until Monday afternoon, when they would be in class, and they would be more prepared to receive what he had. They all stayed in their rooms all Sunday, not wanting to talk to anyone about what had happened. However, by Monday morning, controversy was brewing over the show. Billy had the newspaper at breakfast, and he got to the art section of the paper, surprised that the lead off story was about them, which also included a photograph of them during their performance. The headline read, "'Strut Your Stuff' Vote Tainted!"

It was followed by a sub-line, which read, "Campaign by critics hurt chances for the Pas De Six."

This was the Fawcett City Gazette, so Billy had thought that it was his friends coming to his aid. However, as he read the article, it seemed that there had been some of the purist and ballet snob critics making statements throughout the media that day, doing what they could to keep them from winning. This showed in the vote demographics. Indeed, the 30 and above crowd was mixed in its reviews, and some in the post show polling said it was indeed the criticism that swayed the vote. The majority of the votes, however, came from the 30 and under crowd, with the polling showing nothing but praise and excitement from them. He found the other five, he called them over, and he had them read it as well. They could not believe their eyes. The article went on to state that their fans were outraged at what had happened, cried "foul," and the Gazette crack team of investigative reporters began to investigate the results, and the reaction. It appears that their fans may have been right, because of this news, and because of the fact that their critics were amazingly silent after the appearance of the article. Now they were angry, having experienced, for the first time, how harsh critics could be. When they left the dining commons, they were surprised to see the campus security trying to usher off the paparazzi. When they saw the six, the cameras began to flash, and the questions started to fly. The campus security tried to apologize, but Billy said, "Hey, it's alright. Look, everyone, if you will all calm down, and ask one at a time, we'll take a few questions, because we just read the news, and we have something to say."

Knowing that they now had the chance at a story and a chance for plenty of pictures, they did as they were bidden, and began the ersatz press conference. The first reporter said, "You say you just read the news on this. How do you feel?"

"We feel hurt and enraged," said Ahiru.

"How do you feel about the efforts of your critics?" asked another.

"Let me tell you what," said Rue, quite forcefully, "What you had were a lot of snobs and purists flapping their gums, mad that their 'exclusive' little world is now being invaded by people to whom they would never give the time of day."

"I have to interject here," said Fakir, "The people who say this are primarily made up of people who have never spent one nanosecond in a dance studio, have never spent time going through what we go through, have never strapped on a set of toe shoes, and yet have the audacity to sit back and state how something in this dance form should be done. All they are, are people who want to act like the smartest men in the room, expound on all the so-called knowledge that they have on the arts, spewing a bunch of words of which they do not even know the meaning. They want to make themselves feel good, and look good, by making you feel stupid, because they think they have more knowledge than you, and seek to be praised for it"

Mytho jumped in here, and said, "They spend hours critiquing performances, picking them apart, always looking on the technical aspect, never allowing the performance to find some kind of emotional thread in them to which they could connect."

"In other words, what you are saying is that, they break the stuff down, but never enjoy it?"

"That's about the size of it," said Mary, "and that is not the point of why we go out there. We don't even think about how people are going to break it down, though we do have to be tight in what we do."

"Yeah," said Ahiru, interjecting, "All we think about when we do this is, 'Are they going to leave here with a smile on their face? Did they have a good time? Did they get their money's worth?'

All we care about is making you happy. How can one be happy if all they do is chop something up, say how it ought to be, and never once let it touch them?"

A crowd of students had gathered around by this point, listening intently as Billy jumped in, saying, "The only people we are looking to please technically are our teachers and our coach. They are all accomplished dancers who can rightly say if something is right or wrong, because they have been where we are."

This was followed by a cheer from the students, now feeling a great sense of solidarity. The reporters then asked, "What are your future plans?"

Ahiru said, "Despite the critics, we are going on tour this summer. We will have a successful tour, and the critics can stuff it up their nose…and you can quote me on that!"

This was then followed by a louder cheer from the students than before. Billy then said, "Thank you for your concern, but now, we have to get to class. Good day!"

With that, the six went to class, and the security ushered off the reporters. Yet, their classmates practically carried them to class on their shoulders. That afternoon, Mr. Tawny was there to tell them the good news. "Kids," he said, "you were great with the press. I am glad you said what you said, Ahiru, because indeed, I already have bookings. Since the interview, there have been more requests. I am going to set up a tour schedule, starting in mid-July, going about one week before classes start, and I am going to ensure that they are not dates that would burn you out by the end of the summer. I have a tour bus ready to go, and all you kids have to do is what you do so well. Kids, you are on your way!"

That invigorated them, and they attacked the class with relish.

Exams went well, as well as the variety show. The kids were also forming acts for the tour, kicking around different ideas, as well as preparing for their finals. Rue had been worried about this moment at the beginning of the year. Now, she knew that there would be no problem. She was ready. All the kids were there when that time came; ready to root each other on. For the younger three, they had to prove that being in the AP class was the proper thing. For the seniors, it was to graduate. For the seniors, this also involved costumes, considering that a classic variation like that required as much of a show element as could be mustered. The seniors waltzed through their variations with ease, even though they knew that, because of their newfound fame, they would be scrutinized even closer than normal. Rue had the most pressure on her, considering that she was always the best dancer in school, and she knew that the microscope would be the most focused on her. However, she got herself through it by visualizing herself as graduating, receiving the crowd during a show, and all the things that Tanya had already taught. The younger three did indeed prove that they belonged in the AP class, and they indeed would be setting the standard for those who would be replacing the graduating seniors. The seniors were then informed that they all received top scores, and, if Rue did well in her academic classes, she could graduate at least summa cum laude. The only thing left was the senior show. There was an initial call for the Pas De Six to perform as a whole in that show. However, the three younger members balked at that saying that this was their show. This was their time to shine. That show itself was full of energy and life, and was all hopeful for the future than ever before, especially considering how the critics were now coming down hard on the Pas De Six for Ahiru's comments, and hard on the school. Some were trying to state that the school had grown slack on their standards, questioning their methods of teaching, and even accusing the school of giving high marks to their "celebrities" on purpose. Therefore, the seniors made this show a case of ramming their comments down the throats of the critics. Help with the critics came when Sasha came to the fore, having nothing but praise for the school and the Pas De Six. He even went as far as to say that the snobs felt so threatened that they were willing to do anything, even to destroy the good name of the school, just to regain their supposed control over the "high" arts. He then went on to question the term "high arts," considering that all those forms were actually, at one time, things that were done for the enjoyment of the common man. He also went as far as to praise Ahiru for her harsh words, because all the six were trying to do was to bring things back to the way it should have been. He finished off by saying, "…and if those critics have a problem with that, then they need to come after me, because I have never allowed those kinds of things to dictate how I dance. I do more than ballet. I do jazz, modern, and other types of contemporary forms. If they are wrong, then so am I. Yet, you never hear them criticize me? Why is that? Is it because they think they have six weak people who they can bully, and they know that they cannot say anything about me? They had better guess again, because, after this tour, they are going to have to eat their words well. In fact, if it works out, I want to see about joining them for one show out of the tour."

That endorsement helped silence the critics a lot, and now the kids could concentrate on their class finals, graduation, and the tour. It was going to be a grand graduation.

At graduation, the normal pomp was brought out as for any other school. However, the dance school was in for a surprise. Mr. Katt announced he was going into semi-retirement. He wanted to give his time to the AP class exclusively, and to give his time to the Pas De Six as their coach. This brought surprise to the crowd. However, he insured that he would still be there for them if they needed him, and that he was handing the ballet school over to Tanya St. John, a woman who he knew would take the ballet school to new heights. However, the Pas De Six were ecstatic, not only that Mr. Katt, of whom they now had the greatest amount of respect, would be staying with them, but also because Tanya was going to, for the lack of a better term, go from zero to hero. She now had a future. They realized that seeing things like her made being a superhero worth it all. At the airport, the sight of the kids was different from what had been there before. Fakir was not so nervous, as he had Mary on his arm, who had taught him not to be so brooding and uptight. Mytho had more strength than he ever had since he regained his heart, and became more of a person than he could have ever dreamed of being before he met Ahiru. Rue had shed her snobbish reputation, and she now was more of a caring person, and mother hen to the group than she ever could have been. Little Miss Duck, however, was not letting her suitcase beat her up again, but she pulled it with confidence; wearing the same outfit she wore at the first school dance. She really was not her namesake anymore, but she truly had become the swan her alter ego put forth. Mytho was going to have the wedding in Japan, and everyone was invited. Being who they were, getting there would be no problem. After that, the couple would go to Germany for the honeymoon. Then, in mid-July, the tour would start, and they could not wait. Fakir was going to go back to Germany, preparing to receive his brother, and new sister-in-law, and the Batsons were going to spend time patrolling Fawcett City for a bit, just to insure the citizens that they had not gone away. "Look at you;" said Billy, "You are not the girl you were when you started the year."

"You are not the same boy you were, either," said Ahiru.

They stared at each other for about 30 seconds, and she said, to break the ice, "So, are you ready for the tour? Well, of course you are. That's foolish to ask. But I was just concerned…"

Billy started to curl his fingers on his mouth, she caught herself, and said, "All right, don't you start!" and poked him in the belly. They laughed, kissed, and said, "See you soon!"

"I love you, Rubber Ducky," said Ahiru.

"I love you, beautiful swan!" said Billy.

She got a dreamy look in her eyes, knowing what he meant by that, and kissed a passionate kiss. After about 20 seconds, Rue came up, said, "All right you two!", and poked Ahiru in the arm, saying, "You have a flight to catch. Do you want him to fly you home?"

She turned to look at her and said, "That would be a bad thing, because…?" and kissed her Billy again.

She then took the hint, stroked his face, and they walked away as they started to sing, "That's Amore," but this time, they all sang as they went their ways. It would be a good summer, and a good future.


	22. Chapter 22

**XXII Epilogue**

The wedding was steeped with all the traditions of Japan, and it was a beautiful wedding. The honeymoon was even more special, as the two began to become more as one. Charon was so impressed about his daughter-in-law that he began to call her princess, because of how he called Mytho the Knight Prince. After this came the tour. As it turned out, the controversy surrounding "Strut Your Stuff" made them more sought after than ever before. Many people came just to see over what the fuss was. If they had questions about the legitimacy of the six before this, they definitely ended up in their corner by the time it was done. After going through the proper channels, the two songs they recorded, and the one they did for the final, (which was later recorded,) were released, and immediately started to climb the charts. Mr. Tawny was good about his bookings, making sure to do enough to keep them in the public eye, and not so much that it would burn them out. The Arimas seemed to be having a good time on the tour, and began to become closer to Billy as time passed. Along the way, they had time for a photo shoot or two, and time to film videos for the songs. They even stopped at some ballet studios, being sure to stop at the Anaheim Ballet and the Dance Theatre of Harlem as they went. They were pleasantly surprised to see some of the students wearing tee shirts with their images on them, as they schmoozed with the students, helping them with their dance. As they went, they expanded their repertoire, even adding a bit of comedy to the mix to move the show along. One number they were working on was based on a Simon and Garfunkel song entitled "America," based on their tour. If they could get that released, the video would be film outtakes of their tour and shows. Interestingly enough, (at least to those places where they stopped,) the Secret Six would show up from time to time and stop a crime here, rescue a person there, and other things of a superhero nature. The capper of the tour was when the last two shows put them in two places their critics said they would never perform—Carnegie Hall, and the Met! Both houses were packed with youth, celebrities that they had met back in December, (Sasha sitting front, and center, at the Met,) and some of those skeptics who said this would never happen. They did their numbers, sometimes all playing and singing, a split between that and dancing, dancing all together, and threw in enough classical pieces with their contemporary and comedy, because they felt that the Met deserved that. On top of that, it proved a point to the critics that they were indeed serious students. Even though three of them were now full-fledged professionals, they also let the people know that they would always seek to improve their games. Almost all of those critics had to go back and eat their words in the press, something that gave the Pas De Six great satisfaction. The Met was the biggest triumph for them, in that, they sold it out twice, and it seemed to be their most powerful performances in the tour. In all this, Mary was writing original songs, and Billy was setting music to them. They knew that a side project that next year was to cut an album, showing that they could cross over and be a success in more than one field. Even more significant was, while at the Met, they also noticed in the audience the members of the Justice League who were there for their final battle with Edel. They were there after the show for the cast party, and Bruce pulled Billy aside and spoke at length with him. The others had no clue what was up, and when they asked him to say what they had said, he said, "It's a surprise!"

"Oh, that again," protested Ahiru.

"Don't worry," said Billy, "You'll see in a couple of weeks!"

The tour was highly successful, and now they were in demand. When they had the time in between their schoolwork and such, they would be slated to do one talk show or another, and be as personable as they could. One result of the tour was an influx of kids signing up for ballet or music classes, and a good balance in the genders, seeing that ballet was not the "sissy" thing many thought it to be. Another result was a larger influx of students to Kinkan, and then the spillover going to art schools that would take them when Kinkan was not able. There were even rumors of a television series, but Mr. Tawny played that off, saying something like that would wait for them to all be graduated first. If it looked like they could get a good show that had good writers, and a good plot line, they may one day consider it, but one step at a time. The others also made it known that they were not locked together. If they wanted to do the odd ballet now and again as individuals, or cut solo records, this was okay too. Their egos were not as such if one was more successful than another was by his or herself, because they knew the problem with other acts was that they spent so much time together that they ended up hating each other. This, they hoped to avoid. That would help if it were that Rue came to be with child at some point, and she needed the time off they needed. However, there was one thing that was going to happen that would make sure that they would always have work.

One week before school started, the six were staying at Uncle Dudley's house, because Billy said that he had a surprise for everyone. They all went into the backwoods behind the school, right to the cave where they had faced Edel for the last time. However, there was a carved out wooden road, and trees around the area were being cleared out, with workers going in and out of the cave. Everyone but Billy was confused. "Billy, what is going on here!" demanded Rue.

Before he could answer, the door on a limo opened up, and out stepped Bruce Wayne, with a big smile on his face. "Hi, kids," he said, "What do you think?"

"What do we think about what?" said Fakir, "Are you trying to memorialize our last big fight?"

Bruce laughed, and said, "Of course not! This is your theatre, and your new home!"

The other five looked stunned at this statement. Bruce continued, and said, "It's the sweet irony of it! Instead of this being the place where someone plotted your demise, and tried to make it happen, it will be the thing to help you thrive."

"Why are you doing this?" asked Mytho, genuinely intrigued about the whole thing.

"There are two reasons," said Bruce, "One of them is so you kids can do your own shows while at school, whenever you want. You can also rent out the theater for other kinds of shows, do shows with guests, things like that. All this is courtesy of the Wayne Foundation. Consider this an open-ended loan, because, with the revenue that this place will generate, and your records that are now topping the charts, you will be able to pay this back in spades. Come inside."

He led them inside, and they saw that the walls were being smoothed out, and the compartments being smoothed out and wired, with plumbing being put in. They then went into the amphitheater, and saw that the limbs were taken out, and it was being set up to be used as an appropriate stage. He then led them around the back to show them that an appropriate backstage was being carved out in the same way that a proper orchestra pit was being carved out in front. The area for seats was being set up for that purpose. In back, there were enough compartments for living quarters, and a dance room/dojo set up like in New York. "You can live back here, and have the front rooms as offices. Yet, there is the other reason."

He led them through a tarp overhanging a long tunnel. Bruce chimed in, and said, "In here are workers that are under special instructions not to say what is back here."

It opened up to a large open area, complete with a tunnel that led to the surface, big enough for a vehicle to fit through. There was a rather large computer with multiple screens being constructed, and Oracle was deep in the mix, insuring that the work was being done perfectly. She saw the others, and waived. "I've never seen her more happy," said Bruce, as he continued the tour. He then said, "Now, in here you can make your main meeting room, and back here is a good place for your crime lab. This area, you can use for a trophy room, to remind you of past exploits, what it took you to get them, and you can use them as a reminder of the dangers you had to face, good things you did, mistakes you do not want to repeat, as you attained them. Of course, you can put anything where you want, just let me know."

"Is all this necessary?" asked Ahiru.

"Every superhero needs a headquarters," said Bruce, "Fakir, and the Schmidts here can live here permanently, and you can visit on the weekends while you are in school. When you do graduate, you can live here. There are enough rooms for four of you, and a master bedroom for the couple. Besides, this makes for a great front to hide your activities from prying eyes."

"What do we have to do?" asked Rue.

Bruce produced the deed, and said, "Sign here, and I will co-sign. When it is paid off, my name comes off, and it belongs to the six of you, no strings attached, lock, stock, and barrel."

"But we will have to hire secretaries, workers, an orchestra," said Fakir, "and we will have to pay them!"

"Believe me," said Bruce, "with what you six will be making, that will not be a problem!"

Billy then said, "Mr. Tawny is moving to Fawcett City, and he will manage the business side of things, paying people, and the like, so we do not have to worry about it. Besides, I've spoken to the music department, and they said that we can use the students at Kinkan for an orchestra, and Mr. Johansen said that the stagecraft department would love to help. They said it would be good learning for both departments."

They then noticed Poe working hard, marking out décor, and trying to visualize the right color scheme. "Hi, everyone," he chirped out with glee. "This will be Poe's new home. I be your butler! I like!"

"Well, that settles it," said Ahiru, "If we do not, he will bug us about it no end. We kind of owe it to him anyway; he did help save our lives."

All six conferred, and said, "Where do we sign?"

After some pondering, they decided, as a slap in the face to Edel, (wherever she ended up,) to name it the Raven's nest. When people asked, they said it was for Poe, their live-in butler. However, they knew the real reason. Eventually, Raven did enter the school as a vocal student, seeing that this was her best suit. She did not officially join the team, however, as she was still trying to find her place as a superhero, and needed to work independently for a bit. However, she said that she would join them if the need ever came. The theater/headquarters would not be ready until the second semester, but when it was, they would be on their way. Therefore, if you ever want a good show with the Pas De Six, them with a guest, or whomever rented the theater out to perform, it may be worth the trip to go 20 miles outside your way to Kinkantown, and visit the Raven's nest. You will not be disappointed. However, if your intent is evil—either there, in Fawcett City, or wherever is in their reach—beware! If there is danger, the Kinkan Avatars—the Secret Six, (and sometimes Seven,) will be there to stop it. Finally, if your life is a wreck, and you need a way out, just look for the White Swan Princess: Tutu, and she will dance to guide your heart.

**The End**


	23. Chapter 23

**Appendix A**

**Hero Profiles**

The White Swan, (a.k.a Princess Tutu.)

Real Name: Ahiru Arima

Age: 14, (as Ahiru,) 20, (as Tutu)

Occupation: art school student, semi-professional dancer and singer

Height: 5' 4'', (as Ahiru,) 5' 6", (as Tutu)

Weight: 115 lbs., (as Ahiru,) 135 lbs., (as Tutu)

Appearance: (as Ahiru,) cherubic face, big blue eyes, red, calf-length hair, left flowing and tied in the back; somewhat on the skinny side: (as Tutu,) same face, eyes and hair, but more appropriate for a 20 year old woman, hair in a bun done underneath a white feather ring that hangs to her neck, giving an appearance of looking like the feathers are her own hair; wears a Mardi Gras style dark pink mask, white drop-shoulder tutu with puffed sleeves, pink trim and lace under the skirt, light pink tights, dark pink toe shoes, with yellow fairy wings at the base of her back, and three strings representing a tail hanging in the back, small gold crown on her head. Her build would be the envy of any ballerina or Olympic gymnast, or even a fashion model.

Powers

_Plant control:_ If there is even a hint of access to soil, or if there is even the most primitive of vegetable life growing, she can affect it at her whim. She can grow stalks to lift herself up from one level to another, she can create nets, fences, traps, snares, real thick flowerbeds to cushion falls, and she form vines and mist into an astral barque to use as transport.

_Physical enhancements:_ She possesses twice the physical athleticism of the average ballerina in every respect.

_Mind linking:_ Once physical contact is made, she can then link her mind with her target. She can use this in a hypnotic sense, to subdue an opponent, but she rather use this ability to aid others in coming to terms with psychological problems. She is also quite adept in battling mentally with any who can do the same thing as she. Normally, she dances with whom she counsels, because, (at her confession,) it puts the analysland at ease, and the person is more likely to open up, be more expressive, and more able to come to grips with his or her problem.

_Astral attack:_ This comes in a minor and major form. The minor form comes when she concentrates on her emotions during a desperate situation. She takes the ballet position of refusal, and a white astral form of a swan forms around her, about seven feet tall. She can then use that to empower anything that she would need to do at that point, or, she can project the swan into the target, rendering the target completely helpless. However, this is a physical strain, and this is a power she can only sustain as long as her adrenaline continues to flow. The longer she holds this attack, the more likely she is to pass out once she ceases. If held too long, she might be out of commission for a day or two. The major attack is not something that she entirely controls. If her rage takes over, in addition to all that was said, she begins to glow a gold color, and becomes a vicious fighter. She is not out of control, but, in fact, is extremely focused on the task. A swan is much like a goose in every regard when it comes to protecting what it thinks belongs to it, and worse! In fact, a swan can, in one hard, enraged thrust of its beak, break the arm of a full-grown man! This is called her "mother hen" attack. Woe and dread should be felt even for the worst villain that must face this! If worst comes to worse in any situation, she can then thrust out the attack on her target, and banish that target to any plane she wishes. However, this comes at a cost: she, by doing this, risks turning in on herself, and possibly never reemerging. Banishment, thus, is something that she does with the greatest reluctance, once she realizes that she is in "mother hen" mode. Even if she does not, she will end up comatose for at least three days. Therefore, she only does this if there is absolutely no other choice.

Equipment: In the form of Tutu, the only equipment that she possesses that she does not conjure is her team communicator, disguised as a red cell phone, courtesy of the Justice League of America. The other two things she can call up when she needs them. One is the astral barque as stated before. The other is a pair of white Japanese fighting fans, her "swan wings," with which she is quite adept. If she is in her astral attack, minor or major, those attacks just became ten times worse!

History: When she first became the White Swan, no one would have ever looked at someone like then 12 year old Ahiru Arima as even having the potential to become a heroine, much less a super heroine. She was born to one Colonel and Sharon Arima, in a military hospital located in Tokyo, Japan. She is an American with Italian heritage, and possesses fluency in Italian as well as Japanese. She was indeed the "ugly duckling" in her ways from the start. She waddled when she was learning to walk, splashed in the water for every bath, and gained a hyperactive personality whenever she was nervous or embarrassed. It was then appropriate that her parents named her "Ahiru." This is the Japanese word for "duck" and, to the Arimas; it was prettier sounding than calling her "Duck." Her demeanor, before the events of this story, was very duck-like in almost every regard. However, as a little girl, she picked up a love for ballet, and began to gain a dream of being a prima ballerina. Yet, her parents were not so sure that this would ever happen, considering her duck-like ways spilled over into her dancing. Her parents were friends of the wealthy Kuroah family, who also had a daughter who desired to be a ballerina, and she and Rue were in the same school for about one year. It is interesting to note, however, that the two girls really did not build a friendship at this time, because Ahiru was only six years old, Rue was 10, and really had little in common with Ahiru. Besides all that, Rue was sent to the Kinkan School of the arts, so they really did not have time to build a friendship. On top of that, Rue had a snobbish personality, and looked down her nose at the awkward duck-girl. Yet, Ahiru began to show enough aptitude at ballet to the point where her parents began to see her start to turn into the beautiful swan. The Kuroahs then suggested that Ahiru be sent to Kinkan, because they would be able to best extract the good dancer in her, and help her achieve her dreams, seeing how quickly their own daughter progressed. However, Ahiru seemed to have just as many problems there as she did at home. It became worse when she demonstrated an inability to focus and make classes on time. This was possibly due to being away from home for the first time. She did make friends with Mai and Yuma, both girls her age, and both of whom were coming of age with Ahiru. Since they were also considered a bit oddball, all three had few friends, and Ahiru began to wonder if pursuing a career as a ballerina would ever happen. All this changed the day she met Mytho Schmidt.

She stumbled in on one of his private dance practices when she had thought herself late for class, and saw his beautiful dancing, and yet empty eyes, and lack of expression. She instantly wound up with a crush on him, and desperately wanted to restore his smile to him. Things changed even further the day she first met Edel. Ahiru was passing in front of a new young miss store in the village, and saw a beautiful tutu on display that was about her size. She then began to muse if she would ever be able to wear something like this in her life. Edel had put it out there deliberately, knowing that Ahiru would be by that way eventually, and knew of her want to be a prima. Edel also knew about her Amazon background, (something of which Ahiru was completely unaware,) and knew that, if given the ability to tap into that part of herself, she might be able to restore the pure heart that she desired to sacrifice for the Raven, of whom she was a priestess. Ahiru was lured in, and Edel, at first, acted like a friend and mentor to her. She even gave her a free, carbuncle colored gemstone with white swan wings set as a pendant as a gift for being the first customer ever in her store. What Ahiru did not realize was that this pendant, containing a shard of Mytho's spiritual heart, would tap into the Amazonian genetics lying in a recessive state within her, and transform her into something, and someone, who could restore Mytho's heart. Once Ahiru learned of what she had become, she began with relish to restore Mytho's heart. After many difficulties, (and battling Rue, who was in the form of Kraehe, the Raven Princess,) she had restored all, but one, of the shards. The last one, however, would cost her the ability to be Tutu once again, and render her helpless to prevent the sacrifice of Mytho's heart. However, by certain abilities that Mytho possessed, through his heart, she was allowed to be Tutu one last time, and banish Edel. She was able to rescue everyone, including Rue, and they all became fast friends. It was thought that she would never again be Tutu, until the start of the next school year. If it were not for a chance walk on the campus, mall the first day back, and encountering Billy…

_Amazon heritage:_ Ahiru is actually a direct descendant of an Amazon from Paradise Island, but did not know this until late in this story. She is the direct descendant of a woman who also was known as the White Swan, and who was no less a hero than Tutu. Her actual name has been lost to history. Her Amazon genetics, however, are genetically recessive in her, but the pendant provided by the spirit of the wizard Shazam allowed those traits to be dominant. She also possesses all the abilities and powers of her very great grandmother.

The Black Swan, (a.k.a. Princess Claire)

Real Name: Rue Kuroah Schmidt

Age: 18 (as Rue,) 24 (as Claire)

Occupation: professional dancer and singer

Height: 5'6" (as Rue,) 5'9" (as Claire)

Weight: 125 lbs. (as Rue,) 140 lbs. muscle (as Claire)

Appearance: (As Rue,) oriental in appearance, but she has red eyes, slightly wider, and rare in color, for the typical oriental, with shoulder length raven black hair. She is also fit and shapely. (As Claire,) looks like herself six years older, shapely, but with more defined muscles. Her costume is exactly like Tutu's in every respect, except that, what is pink is gray, and what is white is black.

Powers: Exactly like Tutu with the following exceptions: no astral attack or mind linking, and the following added powers:

_Wind Control:_ she can control the actions of the wind, making a vortex, a forceful push, kick up debris with it, etc.

_Teleportation: _Wherever she can think about going, if she can see it in her eyes, she can teleport there without issue.

_Feather Darts:_ she has the ability to conjure up black feathers that she can throw as darts.

Equipment: The only piece of physical equipment is her team communicator, disguised as a red cell phone, courtesy of the Justice League of America. The only other pieces of equipment she conjures up, as in the feathers, and also, two black Japanese fighting fans, the same as the White Swan.

History: She was born to a wealthy Japanese couple, and was a child of privilege. She was taught Aikijutsu at a young age, and had the art mastered by her preteen years. She also showed an aptitude for the ballet, and studied it with relish. She was a natural at the art, and a prodigy, though she still had her difficulties as anyone would, (as attested to by Ahiru in the story.) She was at an intermediate level before age 11, and at about this time, she was entered into the Kinkan School of the Arts. However, this was the first time she had ever been away from home, and was unprepared to live a life where there were some things that would be expected of her. In other words, no longer would everything be done for her. She would now somewhat have to make her way. As a result, she began to become snobbish, and looked down on people she considered "below" her. The only exception was a young German boy by the name of Mytho Schmidt. He was handsome to her. However, he also was, at that time, a shell of a boy. He could only do that what was asked of him. However, she pursued him, knowing a boy like that would be easy to deal with: you tell him to say, "I love you," and he would do it. You asked him to get water, he would do it. For her, he was like a play doll, and she did not seem to mind. This raised the ire of his brother, Fakir Schmidt, who, knowing well his condition, tried all he could to keep him from the student population, lest he be taken advantage of. To Fakir, this was precisely what Rue was doing, and resented her approaches. Yet, she was not to be put down so easily, because she had just as hard a head as he, and she was not easily intimidated. While others were scared of Fakir, she had no fear. This went on until all of their junior years, when Rue was approached by one Edel. She had no qualms about revealing who she truly was, and told Rue that, if she helped her, she would transform her into the raven princess: Kraehe. Edel explained that she understood Rue's desire to keep Mytho as he was, and told her all that had happened to her beloved, (that is, all that she cared to reveal.) She told her that there was also a plot afoot from a rival princess who was seeking to restore the heart of Mytho. With Kraehe's help, they found all the pieces of his "heart" represented by red crystal shards, and she told Rue to, as Kraehe, to hide them well. She gave her a black pendant that would allow her to transform into Kraehe, and do the job.

What Rue did not know was that she was being set up. First of all, "Kraehe" was, in reality, a corruption of the name "Claire." Kraehe, (pronounced by some as "kray-hee,") is actually how a Japanese person would pronounce "Claire," ("kray-ah,") who was still trying to gain a hold on the English language. This was a proverbial slap in the face to Rue, due to the fact that Edel knew of the heritage she possessed, and wanted to mock both her nationality and an ancestor she also possessed. The choice of bird was also a mockery of Rue, because she is the direct descendant of an Amazon from Paradise Island named Princess Claire, who was also a sister of the original White Swan, from who Ahiru descended, and this was something of which both girls were completely unaware. Due to the Raven wanting revenge on the original Swan Sisters, Edel though that the way things were set up, (Tutu and Kraehe being at odds with each other,) would be perfect irony. She knew that the hiding of the shards would actually accelerate their restoration, and prepare the heart to be fresh and pure for sacrifice. What Edel did not count on was the tenacity of both girls, nor did she count on Rue become wise to her schemes. Soon, Rue was trying to prevent the heart's restoration to _prevent_ the sacrifice. She would rather him a doll than to be sacrificed. All this changed when Kraehe and Tutu "battled" in a dance-off, trying to prove to Mytho who loved him more. However, Tutu did this by performing a _pas de deux_ by herself, demonstrating to Mytho that she needed him to make her complete. Nothing or no one else would do. Rue learned a great lesson that day, and realized that being selfish, and expecting the whole world to be handed to her, would never pass muster in this world. As a result, she then wanted the heart restored, believing that Tutu could do something to prevent its sacrifice. If she was to have Mytho, she would do so as Tutu had, by proving it though actions and deeds. Kraehe ceased to exist that day. She stopped demanding things of people, and, because of Tutu, began to realize that, if someone was truly "below" her, she should do what it took to bring them up to her "level." After the whole affair was over, the four of them became friends, but Ahiru and Rue were still rivals for the now restored heart of Mytho. Yet, Ahiru eventually relented, feeling that she really did not love Mytho in that way, and realized that all it was was a childhood crush, nothing more. Rue was then free to foster the love she had for Mytho, and Mytho was very willing to reciprocate. He remembered all her doting over the years. Though he did not have emotions, he still understood enough to know when someone wanted to be with him. He just could not describe the emotions behind it, because he lacked those feelings. Now that he had them, even though she had some selfish gains, he still loved the fact that she still wanted anything to do with him, and was not willing that he remain "caged up" as Fakir had done all those years, (though he understood Fakir's reasons and worries.) She was quite content to remain as the "mother hen" that she had become to Ahiru, and all the younger girls. However, her true nature had been stirred by the affair, albeit in a corrupted form, and now she begged for release in this girl that was now acting more like her ancestor than ever before. Thanks to the aid of Tutu, she was able to see that it was okay to be the super heroine that she truly was, and was able to erase all the deeds of Kraehe forever.

The White Knight

Real Name: Mytho Schmidt

Age: 18

Occupation: professional dancer and singer

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 190 lbs.

Appearance: Cherubic face, like Paul McCartney, hazel eyes, extremely blond hair, appearing almost white, left loose and shaggy, with no distinct style. Well-built, but slender.

Powers: _Empathy:_ Mytho is an empath, who can feel the emotions of anyone upon whom he concentrates. He can sense a shift in emotions, change in heartbeat, and thus, is able to detect whether or not someone is lying to him, hiding something, has a need, etc.

_Healing:_ he is a healer who has the ability to heal many kinds of wounds and injuries. However, he cannot reattach amputations, nor is he able to remove a wound that is mortal, although he can keep it from being mortal.

Equipment: He carries his team communicator in the form of a red cell phone, attached to a utility belt, gifted to him by Batman, within which he carries an arsenal of crime fighting tools, as well as his sword: the Swan Sword. Also wears white tights, a late medieval/early renaissance blue tunic with gold trim, a blue waist cloak with a white inner lining, white cowl that allows the hair out to look like the mane of a horse. He also wears a flak jacket that allows him full movement.

History: Mytho is the direct descendant of a knight who had battled the Raven many centuries before, and thus, was the main target for the Raven who was seeking revenge. Before all that, he was an orphan boy, born in Germany, adopted by Charon Schmidt, who raised him as his own son. Along with his foster brother, Fakir, Charon considered them as two knights because of their heritage. Mytho was the knight prince, as his ancestor was just that. As a young boy, he was a happy free spirit, but obedient and good hearted. He had the habit of healing small animals that found their way to him, and getting himself into scrapes in attempting to rescue anything or anyone in trouble, Fakir often saving him from himself in many cases. All this changed one day when he was about ten years old, when the Raven managed to gain a hold in this world, and demanded his pure heart for a sacrifice, to undue what the Amazons had done, and to gain vengeance against his ancestor, who thwarted his attempt to reenter this world. Ravens came out of nowhere and started to attack him. He and Fakir tried to fight them off valiantly; however, they were too much for the boys. When it all seemed lost, and to protect, not just his brother, but everyone from this raven, he took a drastic step. His empathy allowed him to tap into an unknown and somewhat forbidden power, and he wished that his own heart be shattered and scattered to the four winds so that the Raven could never have it. By doing so, he locked the Raven back out again. However, what happened was the shattering of his spiritual heart—his soul—the seat of his emotions. This was physically demonstrated when a broadsword appeared out of nowhere, and appeared to be piercing his heart straight through. When the deed was done, it fell out of him with a clang, and he fell as if dead. However, it did not kill him, nor was there any sign of a wound, (in that instinct caused him to use his own healing power on himself.) As a result, he became an emotionless doll, with no self-will, with no emotions, and only able to do as he was told. Fakir swore from that day forward to protect Mytho. Mytho started ballet with his brother, only so that Fakir could keep an eye on him. Of course, it came quickly to him, for all that needed to happen was for him to be told what to do, and then he would ape the moves perfectly. The only thing was that there was no life in it. Yet, because he and his brother were both quite good, Charon entered them in Kinkan, not only to further their skills, but to get them as far away from Germany as he could, lest the Raven find a way back to seek revenge. This was a futile gesture, as you will soon see. This was about the same time that Rue began school there as well. She was instantly smitten with the boy, although he was only a play doll to her. He was kept as a recluse by his brother, lest she, or anyone, take advantage of him. All this changed when Tutu came on the scene. She also loved him, but knew that love could never be reciprocated without his own heart. To do this, and in order to return his smile to him, she worked with earnest to return his heart to him. As he regained it, he began to remember the good feelings that came with it, and began to desire the return of that heart, despite the fact that this played right into Edel's hands. She somehow helped the Raven to regain a small foothold in this world, and knew that Mytho's heart would bring him all the way in. Despite Fakir's attempts to re-shatter Mytho's heart with the same sword that caused it, (the sword which Fakir kept without Charon knowing,) Mytho and Tutu were able to help him regain his heart. Then, together, they were able to thwart Edel, and get her banished from this realm. Although he had deep affection for Tutu/Ahiru, (due to the heart being restored, and now quite enjoying the ability to love again,) he also loved Rue, who had been the only one there that, for all those years before Ahiru came on the scene, wanted him to be a free soul. When Ahiru realized that she did not love Mytho in the way that Rue did, she happily relented to Rue, and their romance took off. By the end of this adventure, he was wed to Rue in a formal Japanese ceremony, filled with all the pomp that accompanies such a wedding. They now live in the Raven's Nest Theater with Fakir, and hope to be joined by their teammates in the future. There is also hope of a little one in the future, but they want to wait for the time being.

The Black Knight

Real Name: Fakir Schmidt

Age: 18

Occupation: Professional dancer and singer

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 220 lbs.

Appearance: Long, black hair worn colonial style, chiseled face, fiery green eyes, built like an acrobatic wrestler: in a word, ruggedly handsome. Wears an identical outfit to his brother, except, what is blue is black, what is white is gray, except for the cowl, which is black. Also wears a flak jacket underneath that is designed for full movement.

Powers: No powers, but quite a physical specimen.

Equipment: Same as Mytho, except that his sword is called the Loengrien.

History: Fakir Schmidt was an orphan who was adopted by an antique dealer and blacksmith by the name of Charon Schmidt, and he is a direct descendant of knights. Because of his tendency to protect his brother Mytho, Charon called him lord high protector to the knight prince. He was always attempting to pull his brother out of his own adventures of rescuing the unfortunate and wounded. The day that the ravens attacked, he did all he could to protect his brother, but his brother had his own plans. He kept the swan sword, feeling that, someday, it might be useful, but for what he did not yet know. Many years later, as a gift for his son, Charon forged the Loengrien for him, which he now wears as the Black Knight. Fakir then felt a great need to protect the shell of a boy that his brother had become, and kept Mytho with him in all things, including his ballet classes. However, when they got to Kinkan, Fakir quickly deduced that there would be many that might try to take advantage of his brother, and thus tried all he could to keep the two of them as recluses on campus. Because of that, he pick up a reputation of being dark and brooding. Many girls were actually attracted to him, but he would have none of them, because he figured that he either had no time for that, or that they might be trying to use him to get to Mytho. All this was shattered when Tutu came on the scene. He, knowing the danger of Mytho regaining his heart, did all he could to keep this from happening, actually looking on Tutu as just as much of an enemy as Kraehe. He even tried to re-shatter Mytho's heart, which Tutu deduced, (correctly,) would be the same as killing him, because, without a soul, he might as well be dead. All this was delicious to Edel, as it was to the Raven, to see all the ancestors to all the old foes of the Raven now turned against each other, knowing that, if they ever worked as one, all of Edel's dreams would come crashing down. They didn't figure that Fakir and Rue were clever enough to figure out what was going on, and all that Edel tried to prevent happened. He now acts as personal protector to the couple, as well as a member of the madrigal that they formed in school known as the Pas De Six. He currently dates one Mary Batson, and hopes that it may also blossom into marriage. She has managed to help bring out the caring and sensitive side that was always there, and Mary suspected was just underneath the gruff surface.

Captain Marvel

Real Name: William Batson

Age: (as Billy,) 15, (as Marvel,) 25

Occupation: art school student and semi-professional dancer and singer

Height: (as Billy,) 5'9", (as Marvel,) 6'2"

Weight: (as Billy,) 185 lbs. (as Marvel,) 275 lbs

Appearance: (as Billy,) black, wavy hair, parted just off to the side, blue eyes, cherubic face, with a sturdy, youthful, and athletic build, normally wearing red tee shirts, often with yellow trim, blue jeans and sneakers. (As Marvel,) black, wavy hair, slicked back, chiseled face, with thick, black eyebrows, bright smile, looking like a body builder, wearing a red, side button shirt with a gold lightning bolt on the chest, red tights, a gold sash, gold swashbuckler boots, folded down at the half calf, gold bracers, and a white, waist length, high collar cloak with gold trim, and gold string clovers sewn just inside the trim.

Powers: possess powers that have their sources from characters of history and myth:

_Solomon:_ grants him wisdom beyond his years.

_Hercules:_ grants super strength.

_Atlas:_ grants him complete invulnerability and immortality as long as he holds the form of Captain Marvel.

_Zeus:_ Enhances all his other powers to incredible proportions.

_Achilles:_ grants him great courage.

_Mercury:_ grants him super speed and flight.

Equipment: Has both a JLA warning signaler, and his team communicator. He really has no other need for equipment.

History: His history could not be more disconnected from the others than it is, but it is quite storied in its own right. However, considering the source of the girl's powers, they become quite connected at that point. William H. Batson was born to two wealthy Egyptologists, but there was trouble for them right from the start. Dr. Batson was envied by many in his community, and, when one of his colleagues felt slighted by credit on one dig going to Batson, and not him, he threatened to have him, and his whole family killed. It also seemed that he had the means to do it, as attempts were indeed made on his life. He also found himself father to fraternal twins: a son and a daughter. Due to the danger, he decided that the family needed to split up until the danger was passed. He put his daughter into foster care, but gave each child one half of an Egyptian scarab in order to identify his daughter if the chance ever came to retrieve her. For six years, he and his son lived together, and a bond was indeed forming. However, sadly, this was to end abruptly. Revenge was exacted, and the only surviving members of the family were Billy, his sister, and his uncle Dudley. Uncle Dudley could not care for Billy at the time, thus he was put into foster care until certain inheritance battles in the courts were tended to. For three long years, the fight went on, and Billy found himself in a series of bad homes. Finally, when he was nine, it seemed that he would finally have a good home. Sadly, he was adopted by a monster of a man, who practically enslaved Billy, eyeing the possibility of gaining some of his inheritance. When that was granted, Billy was quickly turned out into the streets of Fawcett City and left for dead when he was just nine years old. He was fortunate that some of the older folks took him in, many of whom were show people that had fallen on hard times. In the interim, he sold newspapers, played an old, beat up guitar that he had been taught to play, even learned tap dancing, in order to make his way in this world. He also had an old Chinese man teach him the art of Tai Chi in order to protect himself. He quickly learned the way of the streets, knowing who to talk to, and who to avoid. He had been using an old, abandoned subway station as his home, along with those that he trusted. The story could have ended there, if the scarab that he wore did not have more behind it than met the eye.

The scarab was actually a scarab that the old wizard Shazam, who had himself had been a great hero many millennia before, and who wanted to pass the mantle of hero onto another. His first attempt was met with disaster, and thus, he pledged that, whichever was the first child to possess that scarab would be his successor. It took many millennia before that would happen, and, oddly enough, it was split between two children. Because Billy was in such straits, Shazam figured that Billy should be the first to receive an offer. One night, a mysterious stranger in a suit and fedora that looked quite familiar to Billy bid him come and board a train that sat on the old abandoned tracks. Billy thought that he was dreaming, and boarded the train without a second thought. The stranger was always in the dark, so there was no way to know just who it was. (In reality, it was the soul of his deceased father, and it is something that Billy will never know.) However, this stranger let him out, and Billy saw that the train sat at the end of the line. It was no longer a subway tunnel, but a cave with pink granite walls, each side of which was lined with statues: the seven deadly sins on one wall, and the seven virtues on the other. At the end sat Shazam, waiting for him with a big, friendly smile. At this, Billy now realized that he was not dreaming. This was really happening! The old wizard explained who it was, and what the scarab represented. It was then that he made Billy, who, in truth, was quite skeptical about the whole thing, the offer to become the next hero, who the wizard would dub Captain Marvel. He told Billy that all he needed to do was utter the wizard's name. When he did, a bolt of lightning, (presumably from Zeus,) struck him, and transformed him into the captain. Billy was actually outraged. He was not sure that he wanted this, and was ready to throttle Shazam for what had happened. He was afraid that he was stuck that way, but the wizard assured that this was not the case. All he needed to do was speak his name again, which Marvel did. However, this time, when the lightning hit, massive boulder dislodged and fell right on top of Shazam. Billy screamed, thinking that he had caused this. His sadness was quickly stifled when the spirit of the old wizard arose from the rubble, and assured Billy that he did not cause this. This was supposed to happen. Billy then realized the great power that he had, and that he must now dedicate himself to all those less fortunate than he now was, being given this great gift that could help him arise out of the ashes like the phoenix. The wizard then took the very boulder that crushed his body to a spot that was extra dimensional, deep in space, and called it the Rock of Eternity. From there, he could best guide Billy until the time came when he would pass the mantle of Captain Marvel on to another that was worthy of it.

He remained on the streets, though, for the next few months. In that time, he became aware that the state had discovered that his foster father had lied, that he was still alive, and that they were searching for him. However, he did not want to go back, lest he be put into another bad home. This all changed when he, as Captain Marvel, encountered and aided Superman on a case the latter had been working on that involved Dr. Savanna. In that time, however, the doctor's henchmen, who sought out Billy for being a witness that would connect him to the crimes, tried to kill him. Billy's best friend was also there that night, and, despite Marvel's best effort to protect his friend, his friend was mortally wounded. The doctors could do nothing. At this, Marvel went ballistic, smashed his way into the police station, and threatened one of those men, (who the police had apprehended,) with his life if he did not confess. All the police could do was stand back and watch. Of course, this was all out of character for the captain, and after busting into Savanna's office, realized that he was abusing his powers, and sought for another, better time, to exact vengeance. However, Superman set out to get an explanation out of Marvel, even if it meant throttling it out of him. Yet, when he found Marvel, he found him in tears. When Superman did not understand, Marvel revealed everything to Superman, including what had happened that night. Now Superman was livid with the one who would dare to place such a mantle of responsibility on the shoulders of a little boy. Shazam then summoned Superman to the Rock of Eternity, explained the whole thing, explained that he needed a good mentor, and that he should do what he could to help Billy off the streets, and gain back what was rightfully his. All of this Superman did, and he was able to contact colleagues in the media who took him in, and started him on his way in broadcast journalism, and in entertainment. By this point in our story, he had been through many adventures, and gained the aptitude for entertainment that he had. He wanted to go into show business, use it to enhance his broadcast skills, or whatever the future held. This is why he even ended up at Kinkan at all. It was because of his meeting the other characters that even gave any of them the chance to rise up to what they were at all, thanks to Shazam.

Mary Marvel

Real Name: Mary Bumford Batson

Age: 15, (as Batson,) 25, (as Marvel)

Occupation: art school student and semi-professional dancer and singer

Height: 5'7", (as Batson,) 5'10", (as Marvel)

Weight: 125 lbs. (as Batson,) 150 lbs. (as Marvel)

Appearance: (as Batson) a dancer's athletic build, shoulder length wavy black hair, parted in the middle, blue eyes, in reality, similar features to Billy in a female form. (As Marvel,) a more mature look to her alter ego, but with the body of a goddess, wearing a feminine version of the uniform which Captain Marvel wears, with the following exceptions: half-length, bloused sleeves, golden bracers, gold pumps, each with two strings that criss-cross up her calf to tie off underneath her knee, and sporting a knee-length, side button dress in red, with the same cloak and lightning bolt.

Powers: gains her powers from characters in myth that would befit a young lady:

_Selena:_ grants a grace that enhances all her powers like Zeus does for her brother.

_Hippotlya: _grants her super strength.

_Ariadne:_ grants her skill that grants her the same endurance that Atlas gives her brother.

_Zephyrus: _grants her super speed and flight.

_Aurora:_ grants her the kind of beauty that gives her courage.

_Minerva:_ grants her wisdom.

Equipment: same set up as Captain Marvel.

History: Unlike her brother, she was very fortunate to have wound up in a good home from the start. The Bumford family took her in, and raised her as if she were their daughter. The only thing they knew about her was that she was not to lose the half scarab, and that it would lead her to someone she would love dearly. She grew up the average child, but she somehow picked up the ability to give good common sense advice to people. If she had not picked up an aptitude for ballet, she may have gone on to become an advice columnist. All this changed when she ended up at Kinkan, and literally bumped into her brother, though they did not yet know of their connection. Everything else has been explained at length in the above story.

**Appendix B**

Kinkantown and the Academy

In the original anime, Kinkantown, (Gold Crown Town in the English version,) was clearly and prominently set in Germany. In the manga, however, it is never clearly stated where it is located, and therefore, it was fully left open to artistic license, just as much as it was when the creators of the anime told the manga side that it could do what it wanted. By leaving the location of both the town and the academy nondescript, it allows anyone to put it anywhere, which is what I have done here. Regardless of where they are located, the atmosphere of the town is the same. It is very Germanic in nature, and holds a very Colonial era feel to it. One would almost regret any of the modern conveniences being there, and often forget that such exist. However, the old times and the modern world seem to be able to exist side by side here, although the brick roads and some narrow alleys attest to the old feel, as one would not be able to bring a car through them. Yet, modern life is there, and somehow, harmony exists between the old and the new here. In fact, if one were a regular to Fawcett City, and had not come to Kinkantown before, they would find it a quaint and peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. For the purposes of my story, the town was originally named Gold Crown; however, when Mr. Kinkan moved here when he retired, and because he felt that the place would be good for an academy, the town began to adopt his name for their own. Because of the fame that he and the academy brought, the town fathers had little problem with changing the name of the town on the state register, (despite a bit of minor protest from ancestors of they who founded Gold Crown,) to Kinkantown, in honor of its now most famous adopted son. The state it is in is more than likely in the mountain country of northern Pennsylvania, or northeast Ohio. I leave this up to the reader as to where the place is located. The town itself has only one police precinct, and is run by one Constable Phil Brock. He has a crew of about 20 officers, which is probably more than the town actually needs, yet, they are more than capable of handling themselves, even in a big city if need be. Brock was skeptical at first when it came to the Secret Six, especially on that first night during the Great Take Five Smack Down. However, he quickly found out that having a superhero team of concerned citizens can be a great benefit. If it had not been for their help, worse could have happened with Jim Martin, and the gangs could have had a tighter grip on things before they could be finally extracted. His biggest concern is the school itself. He loves all the students, and wants to make sure that they are all safe and happy. They are the biggest reason why the town itself has not been tucked into a corner somewhere and forgotten. The businesses there are as one would expect: clothing stores, restaurants, hardware, furniture, specialty stores, sporting goods, and so forth. However, many of them are geared towards the students. Therefore, having supplies for the creative and performance arts in any of those stores are good for business. It sits not but a half mile from the academy itself.

Because I have a friend that attended an arts high school himself, I was able to pick his brain for information on the things that actually go on in an arts school, and I was able to incorporate that into this story. The differences are that, his was a public school, this one is private; his was looser on certain rules, this one is stricter, including the use of school uniforms. I took some ideas of his activities on the school, and I was able to incorporate that in a special way that fit the flavor and the uniqueness of the academy. The school is quite spacious, with two sections: a living and social area, and the learning area. All the buildings are built in the style of the town itself. The living and social area sits on a rise, and all the dorms, the student union and shops, the theater, and the gymnasium, are all set around a long grassy mall area. The dorms themselves are walled in brick, with arched gates in front of them, just atop the rise, and facing each other. In the back, also walled, (as is the whole campus,) with a creek running in front of it, is the education area. Although assemblies are run in the theater, all the learning is done there. All the buildings are set on the edges of the campus, with a natural depression in it, containing a park for students to sit, work, meditate, or eat lunch on a nice day, complete with gazebos, tables, benches, and a beautiful fountain, built by, and donated by, the first creative arts class that came out of the school. Creative arts were added later, and were not a part of the original curriculum, and thus, do not normally gain attention at the main orientation. Who and what they are, are fairly well recognized, and are usually treated as a separate entity, with their own orientation. However, they are not separated as a student body, and all intermingle with each other, the creative artists sometimes using the performers for models in their work. The arts taught there are the creative, (painting, printing, sketching, sculpting, photography, and the like,) and the performing, (theatre, ballet, tap, modern dance, jazz dance, voice, music, and film.) Though the rules are a bit strict, none of the students are made to feel as if they cannot express themselves fully, in that, since this is a school of the arts, such things are not discouraged. They need to do so in order for them to be allowed their fullest creative potential. The strictness of the rules is there in order that a mindset for being disciplined enough to succeed in one's art is always there.

Out in back of the school are a lake, and a decent sized wooded area. There are several trails back there, and it is often called "The Thinking Woods" because it is quite serene and peaceful. Many students having a problem with one thing or another often go back there to sort out their thoughts and feelings about matters, and sometimes bringing their art with them to express just how they feel. The creative artists often bring the canvasses or sketch books, while musicians bring their instruments to play for no one but themselves, and to vent. However, as of recent days, many go out there in hopes of finding the White Swan in order to help gain counsel, and some have actually succeeded in finding her. In reality, Ahiru now often goes back their when she is not engaged in practice, schoolwork, or hanging out with either her beau, or her friends, as Princess Tutu for expressly that purpose, as well as to sort out her own thoughts. She quite enjoys being able to do that which she loves the most, next to dancing, and her "Rubber Ducky." Also back there now is the Raven's Nest Theater, in which the school celebrities, the Pas De Six, "hold court." There is a sizeable parking area, but not in such a fashion that it takes away from the serene and peaceful setting that the woods provide.

**Appendix C**

The Pas De Six

This group sprung out of the friendships and relationships that formed amongst the alter egos of the Secret Six. The brainchild of Billy Batson, the leadership of the group was slowly taken over by Ahiru Arima, although she would not acknowledge this, and gives equal credit to the whole team. "Pas De Six, (pronounced "paw-duh-cease,") is a play off a ballet term. It means "steps of six." In other words, it is a dancing sextet, (a duet, for example, is a pas de deux, (pronounced "paw-duh-dew.")) They like to think of themselves as a visual madrigal. A "madrigal" is normally a type of poetry set to a cappella singing from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. As this turns poetry into music, they attempt to turn musical poetry, (songs,) into dance as they either sing as they dance, or dance to their own prerecorded accompaniment. Their attempt is to bring to life the song in the form of ballet. However, there are times when they act strictly as a musical group, and have three hit singles, and their first album, (also a hit,) of covers and original music. They cover all kinds of musical styles, but play them to their folk instruments. Billy discovered their ability to sing and harmonize one day when they were just sitting around a campfire, messing with some songs. He later demonstrated to them that this was no fluke that they could do this, and took a chance at getting them all instruments. This was because of how he was inspired by an encore in their first show together as an act. They did it off the cuff as Billy sang, and that set the wheels in motion. He figured that, if they could also learn to play, they had a great act. As time went by, they all took to this, and everyone seems to have a role in putting the act together. Billy arranges all the music. Rue and their coach, Mr. Gustaph Katt, do the choreography, Mary writes songs, Mytho works out vocal harmonies, and Fakir has taken over as recording master, having a good enough ear to work with the engineer in the post production. Because of what Ahiru does, she often is called the "brains" of the outfit. Often, what she does, is listen to everyone's ideas when they are trying to work out any of the aforementioned, and then somehow manages to drop things in a sensible order. When this happens, normally discussion ends. Ahiru plays a 21-key chromatic autoharp, and dulcimer, Rue plays concertina, keyboard, and accordion; Fakir plays acoustic bass guitar and bass violin, Mytho plays violin and percussion, Billy plays mandolin, banjo, and his 12-string acoustic guitar, and Mary plays six string classical guitar.

They have semi-ownership of a theater set inside a cave called The Raven's Nest. In it are various offices, living quarters for the act, a sizeable natural amphitheater, a recording studio, and a dojo/dance room. This is run by one Mr. Tawny, a family friend of the Batsons that took on management of the group. He is very protective of the group, being sure to always allow them creative control of their act, and always being sure that no one ever exploits them, and makes sure not burn them out. He knows that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and therefore does all he can to keep them in the public eye to keep them popular, but not so much as the public grows tired of them. Besides, he knows that the group is creative enough to continue to adapt, and to continue to reinvent themselves, to keep things fresh, and they sell themselves. Thus, he knows when to get out of the way and not bite the hand that feeds him. There is an anthropomorph that lives there named Poe—a raven-man—who was a creation of one Edel, who is now a vanquished foe that can never haunt the group again. He acts as caretaker and butler to the group, with a keen eye for décor, and he often finds himself working on the sets for the show. However, in the back, is a part of the theater only a handful knows anything about. This is the headquarters of the Secret Six, complete with a crime lab, meeting hall, crime computer, and vehicles for those that cannot rapidly transport themselves. This includes a fully armored and equipment outfitted van for the whole team if there is a need for a traveling crime lab and other such crime fighting things, and two powerful Harley-Davidson motorcycles for the Chess Knights—what they call "their trusty steeds." It is indeed a home away from home.


End file.
